It’s common knowledge that your web browser stores cookies on your computer, but many people aren’t aware of the fact that when you visit certain websites, you are automatically accepting cookies on your computer – including those from advertisers, analytics companies, and social media sites. This can be dangerous to your privacy and your computer’s security, so it’s important to know what you’re agreeing to when you click ‘Allow Cookies’ on every website that asks. Read more here:
What are cookies
A cookie is a small text file, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a website, that site’s computer asks your computer for permission to store that cookie in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites.
The privacy and security risks
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to accept cookies from sites you trust. If you’re shopping online or checking your bank account, for example, you probably want cookies enabled so that you can stay logged in without having to re-enter your credentials every time. But when logging in to other types of sites—especially ones with which you don’t do much of anything—it may be safer to say no. For instance, Facebook’s Login Approvals security feature forces users to authorize logins through two-factor authentication if they’ve been inactive for a period of time. So if you’re just browsing your feed and happen to check out another page within the app without first approving the login request, you’ll have to provide your password again before accessing the new page.
What you can do to protect yourself online
Google Chrome has a nifty security feature that protects you from cookies that track your online activity. While it’s not necessarily malicious, it can be used by advertisers to build a profile of who you are and how you shop and surf. Here’s how to keep those pesky trackers at bay :
1) Go to the Settings tab in the top right corner.
2) Click Show Advanced Settings.
3) Scroll down to Privacy and Security.
4) Under Privacy, click the checkbox next to Content settings: Block all third-party cookies. If you don’t know what this means, don’t worry–Google will walk you through it. If this is too extreme for you, try Allow third-party non-tracking cookies only or Allow third-party tracking cookies only.
