What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are used by many websites to improve their services, and make using the web faster and easier. They act like an ID card, allowing a website to recognise you when you return. So for instance they might record your username, so you don’t have to keep entering your password each time you come back, or an online shop might record the contents of your shopping basket so you can view it the next time you return.They also come in handy for websites that allow you to customise a page so that it looks the same each time you visit – like setting your postcode on the BBC’s weather site.
Although most people don’t like the idea of others seeing what websites they’ve visited, without cookies, every time you clicked on a different page on a site, you wouldn’t be recognised and might even have to log in each time. This would make things like online shopping difficult and long-winded. It would also make it harder for website designers to improve content or design based on which pages are most or least popular.
Uses for cookies:
<ul>How cookies work
Cookies work by storing small items of text information on your hard drive, which is then transferred to your browser when you browse to the relevant site. Temporary cookies are stored temporarily in your browser’s memory and deleted as soon as the session ends. Permanent cookies are stored on your hard drive and recreated the next time you visit the site.Cocerns about cookies
Some people have concerns about anyone, especially businesses, storing any kind of information about them. They can open your computer to more ads than you would normally need to see – and make them more relevant to your interests, whether you want them to or not. They can also be used to record personal information such as your email address and credit card details – with legitimate sites this will be encrypted but there’s still a risk that a site could be hacked.Cookies can’t harm your computer – they’re simply text files that just sit in your hard drive unless they’re required or deleted. They’re not executable files, so they can’t give your computer a virus.
BUT, cookies can sometimes be used by fraudsters to track your interests and viewing habits and so build up a profile of you.
How to control cookies
Modern browsers allow you to set options to alert you when cookies are required by a website and to control which cookies you accept. For the most part, they’re harmless, and make using the web easier. But if you have concerns, simply choose not to accept them. Set your browser to warn you whenever a cookie is installed, and turn them on and off, on a site-by-site basis, depending on which ones you trust. Look in the privacy options of your browser’s settings menu.Data watchdog ICO has a cookie reporting tool that allows you to report cookies that you think are gathering more information about you than is necessary. They’ll then evaluate the site and take action if needs be.