Web browser cookies taught a world of internet users that too many cookies could be a bad thing. Today, we’re accustomed to seeing all sorts of popups telling us the website uses cookies and asking us what kind of cookies we want to allow on computers andmobile Android devices. Those policy popups and associated privacy concerns often give cookies a bad name but don’t give these little bits of inserted data too bad a name. They can also save you time and make your favorite sites easier to use without interfering with your personal data. Let’s look at the duality of cookies and how they work.
What’s a cookie, exactly?
Web or HTTP cookies are simple text files created by a web server and stored on your web browser that act like user profiles or identifiers. They create ID numbers to label the specific device an internet user is on, then store information about what that user does for future reference.
When a user revisits the website, the server accesses the cookie on the browser and uses the information stored there to customize the user experience. That includes many potential changes, some are helpful and some are disturbing. Cookies can be used to:
How cookies came to be
In early computer programming, a magic cookie was a packet of data that could be shared between programs without being altered or destroyed. But today’s online version of cookies began in the mid-1990s. Lou Montulli of Netscape iscredited with their creation. They first aided early online shoppers by saving data on their shopping experience to use the next time they logged on, letting people think about their purchases or save favorited items.
Different types of cookies and how they’re used
Today, there are many different cookies, which are categorized depending on how they behave. Popular types include:
Can cookies give you malware?
No, and yes. Usually, cookies only interfere with your privacy by tracking and saving what you’ve done. In the case of third-party cookies, saving activity across multiple sites for advertisers. But they can’t install malware like a shady download can.
However, cookies can interact with malware in unpleasant ways. Some types of malware have been created to search for cookies and personal information held in cookies, like logins (one memorable version used an early Internet Explorer bug in 2011), so they can be stolen and sold. Preventing malware from accessing cookies has become a priority for developers in that field.
Can I deny all cookies?
Most major browsers (including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) have “do not track” options in their settings that can reduce the number of cookies created and prevent new cookies. As we mentioned, many websites now give you options to reduce or block certain kinds of cookies.
Can I erase cookies?
Usually, every web browser contains an option to delete most of your cookies orboth your cache and cookies. This can erase some handy shortcuts like saved logins. It also erases many problematic cookies in the browser. Deleting your cache and cookies is a common step when troubleshooting browsing experience bugs or other problems.
Are cookies here forever?
Probably not, especially third-party cookies. While regulations ban them from the outside, internal decisions also block them. Most notably, Google removed third-party cookies from its Chrome (and Chromium-based) browsers, a move that was initially set for 2020 but pushed to 2023.
Butgoing cookielessdoesn’t mean all cookies are removed or all data privacy problems are solved. Google’s solution is to include certain kinds of activity tracking into Google Chrome with a new system called FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) that’s technically designed to protect user information but still uses Google AdTech to track browsing habits and share/sell data. So the cookieless future will introduce new issues all of its own.
Make good cookie decisions
Cookies are formed when you use a browser to visit web pages, even on your Android phone. By managing permissions and changing settings, you can reduce the number of intrusive cookies you get, especially third-party tracking cookies. If your browser becomes buggy or annoying, you can delete cookies to clear things up. However, some online cookies offer valuable benefits like saving login information or accessibility settings, so you may not want a zero-cookie policy.
