When
you visit a website that uses cookies, a cookie file is saved on your computer,
Mac, phone or tablet.
Includes
the name of the website and a unique ID that identifies you. When you revisit
the website, the website will know that you have logged in before.
This
means that companies can customize their website because they already know some
information about you.
What
kind of information can cookies contain?
Each
cookie contains a website name and an ID for you. But some websites also
store other types of information on your computer. For example, cookies
may not include the following information.
-The
time you spend on the website.
-Links
you clicked while using the website.
-Options,
preferences and settings you have chosen.
-
The account you logged in to.
-Pages
you have visited in the past.
-
Things in the shopping basket.
For
example, a shopping site uses cookies to remember the contents of a virtual
basket before you check out.
On
the other hand, social networks may use cookies to store the links you click
and may later use them to display more relevant and interesting links for you.
Cookies
are commonly used to improve the user experience. But privacy advocates
have argued that any information, including user browsing behaviour, should not
be stored.
Why
are cookies so necessary?
With
the European Union's GDPR policy binding, cookie notifications have become regular. In
short, companies need to have an explicit agreement with you before they can
collect data about you.
If
cookies identify you with your device's help (most cookies do), the company
will need your consent. So many websites are asking for your permission
before you can place cookies on your computer and mobile.
Do
you need to accept cookies?
Certainly
not necessary. If a cookie can identify you, you can reject such cookies
altogether.
Websites
ask you for permission to use cookies as there are significant fines under
various laws. So if you don't want to store or store cookies that contain
information about you, you can refuse.
What
happens if cookies are not accepted?
Some
companies may not use your website if you do not accept cookies. Some
websites have stopped giving users access to cookies without permission,
especially after implementing GDPR. This is because some websites cannot
function as expected without cookies.
But
even if you do not accept cookies, you can still use most websites and the
Internet. Of course, there are a lot of benefits to getting cookies.
In
it, you can get a customized experience with more relevant content. So
generally, accepting cookies also makes sense if you are not worried about your
privacy.
How
to delete cookies?
Since
cookies always are stored on your computer, you can delete them. Go to
your internet browser settings and enter the history section to do this.
Typically
there, you will find the option to delete cookies. You can delete all the
cookies on your mobile or computer by freeing up some space.
Doing
so will cause you to be logged out of most websites, and some web pages may
look different than expected.
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