Http Cookie Uses
Http cookies are used in our everyday lives while we are browsing the web. They do a lot to try to make our browsing experience more user friendly and enjoyable.
There are different types of cookies that each serve a different purpose. One common function cookies serve is logging you into or keeping you logged into a website like Facebook or Amazon with an authentication cookie. Without this cookie a users experience could become very frustrating because if the webpage would have no memory of who you are(no cookie) it would treat you as a new user as you move from page to page. Cookies have other uses as well, they keep track of what web pages you visit. If you are online shopping they can store items in a cart without you having an account.
Cookies are stored on your computer by your browser, so they are only on your device in that specific browser, therefore the cookies you have on Chrome won’t be in Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer or any other browser.
Cookies track where you go on the web and where you’re browsing. A lot of people are aren’t the biggest fans of this as it can be seen as invading their privacy. A lot of this tracking is by third-party cookies which are cookies not from the site you are on they are from another site when the webpage your are on is featuring content from another site, like an advertisement. Cookies like these by advertising companies can track you browsing through several different sites. Through this though they don’t know who you are they are able to gather information on you based on browsing history.
There are ways around this and ways to avoid cookies. Most modern web browsers have settings that you can turn off cookies, if you wish. In fact recently as this year Chrome (largest marketshare of web browsers) has stated it will phase out third party cookies in two years. Also, with their update a couple of months ago Safari now comes with full third-party cookie blocking as the default setting ‘Prevent cross-site tracking’. So, these browsers that control a large part of the market are moving away from third-party cookies. Furthermore, if you use a private or incognito window the browser wont store cookies once that browser is closed.
This worry from cookies invading peoples privacy has been around for a while, in 2002 the European Union launched a ‘Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications’ policy. The main point of which was that websites would require consent to use cookies, this policy has since been updated. But, it’s main purpose still serves as a user would still have to give a website permission to use cookies. So for example you might get a prompt similar to the one below visiting a website because of this policy.
