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note: Feel free to use the copy/graphics below
on your website/blog.
The word
"cookies" is thrown around a lot online, but there is a
lot of misinformation out there about them.
Understanding cookies can help users to make smarter
decisions when certain websites ask for permission to
load them, which will also help increase their online
security.
What Are
Browser Cookies?
Cookies are tiny bits of information that websites keep
on a user's computer. They contain text only, and take
up virtually no space on computers. They are meant to be
a convenience, as they help save information such as
user ID, session ID, and other useful types of text.
Cookies are especially helpful when a user goes back to
a website they have already visited. Instead of having
to enter certain information again, the cookies will
automatically provide information that helps speed up
the user experience.
At any given time, the average user will have thousands
of cookies already stored on their browser. The longer a
user owns a computer, the more cookies they have
accumulated. After some time, a user has quite a
collection of cookies, and that is where both the good
and the bad can come into play.
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What
are Browser Cookies? |
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Cookies: The Good and The Bad |
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Pro:
Enhances the user experience |
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Pro:
Speed |
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Cookies help personalize websites for all users. |
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Less
adjustments with settings and faster logins
speed everything up. |
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Con:
Sometimes invasive |
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Con:
Malicious Uses |
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Some
companies ask for and collect too much
information. |
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Cookies can be used for malicious reasons to
steal information. |
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Why Do
Cookies Exist? How Do They Work?
Each individual web browser not only stores cookies, but
manages them as well. That means if a user is only using
one particular browser on their computer and ignoring
the other, opening up the unused browser will show no
cookies.
Websites understand that they can benefit from having
cookies on a personal computer, much like a user can
benefit as well. With that said, the cookies for each
individual website are only accessible by that website.
Only a user can actually view all of the cookies stored
on their computer.
The Benefits of Cookies
There are
plenty of reasons why cookies exist in the first place.
While they have recently received a lot of bad attention
for all the wrong reasons, they are not going away
anytime soon.
Login information
Websites
utilize cookies so that they can remember a return
visitor. It is easier to identify a user with cookies,
and it speeds up the login process as well.
Preferences
Users have
certain preferences on frequently visited websites. It
would be very annoying to have to change preferences
every single time there is a return visit. With cookies,
all preferences are saved and remembered for the return
visit.
A
personal experience
Cookies help
make the internet a bit more personalized overall. While
this is sometimes viewed as controversial, plenty of
users benefit from a more customized experience online.
This comes in handy when shopping, browsing for
information, and more.
The Cons of Cookies
More than
likely, you came across this article because of some of
the negatives connected to cookies. Unfortunately, in
the wrong hands, cookies can be used for bad, ruining
the user experience and making users wonder if there is
anything they can do.
Invasive tracking and advertising
Many users
are becoming more and more frustrated with how companies
have used cookies to advertise and track aggressively.
It is easy to feel like somebody’s watching at all times
with the way advanced cookies work these days. Websites
might not always be upfront about the cookies on the
website, and those tracking uses are employed for
financial gain.
Keep in mind
that it is not simply a coincidence when certain items
pop up on a return visit. If a website is trying to make
a sale, they will do everything they can with those
cookies to personalize the experience and encourage a
sale.
Selling and stealing information
Some very questionable websites out there can actually
obtain and sell information that can put users in a very
tough situation.
There are some websites that are designed specifically
to con users into providing information. If a company is
aggressively asking for login information and to allow
cookies, it might be a sign that they are looking to
abuse their privileges.
Even seemingly professional websites can have holes in
their code that provide a way for hackers to get in and
obtain information. Website owners should continually
ensure that their website code is up to standards to
avoid any easy access.
What is the Best Way to Manage Internet Browser Cookies?
With so many
questions regarding cookies, users might not necessarily
know who to trust. The good news is that trusted
software can eliminate the guessing game, helping with
cookie management overall.
iolo has the best option for users looking for quality
online privacy protection.
Privacy Guardian can either be purchased by itself,
or as part of
System Mechanic® Ultimate Defense™. It does much
more than monitor and manage cookies, helping users to
stay safe online when using any of the most popular
internet browsers.
Once set up on a user’s computer, it is effortless to
use and begin benefiting from right away. Instead of
feeling overwhelmed and unable to manage all the data on
a computer, Privacy Guardian makes it so much easier for
users to stay safe.
If you have any questions/comments on the above, please email
us.
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