Today, you can get a small message on most sites that there are so-called cookies on the site, but what is it really? That’s what we’ll look closer at in this article.
Cookies are simply described data that are stored on the computer. They can be used for several different things but often they make browsing faster and easier, and they can also be used for an internet user to get more ads that he really has an interest in seeing. Cookies can also be used so that those who visit a website can take part in different functions and in addition, you can track how a visitor shops on several sites that use the same cookies file.
When it comes to ads, a person interested in knitting can get ads that are about knitting while the gamer may get ads about different games or consoles.
The data is saved as a small text file and you can then follow what the visitor does on the site through this text file. This can, for example, be about searches, visited products, and similar. As a rule, only the website that has saved cookies can read them. If you as a surfer visit a website, then the next site you visit can not read the cookies of the first site.
When it comes to cookies, they are available in several different variants. The first type is so-called session cookies. These cookies are deleted immediately when the user closes their browser. The second type of cookie is a variant that lasts longer and is stored until the user chooses to manually delete them. Both types of cookies work in the same way, the only difference between them is how long they are stored in the computer.
When you visit a site, cookies are saved automatically. If it is a site you need to log in to, cookies mean that you do not have to log in every time you visit a new subpage on the site. If you visit an online shop, cookies that are stored for a long time can be used to make the site remember everything that has been put in the basket at the webshop, even if the internet browser is suddenly closed.
Although there are several advantages to these cookies, one should not overlook the fact that they also have some disadvantages. First, cookies create information about the visitor to a site and this can seem very offensive to privacy. Many players appreciate being able to customize a site to their liking. For example, it could be that you have a visual defect that makes it difficult to see certain fonts. Many sites allow the user to choose the size or color of the text and these are then saved in a cookie. However, many find this very offensive and difficult.
Cookies can infringe on personal privacy. However, cookies should not be seen as viruses, but there is a certain risk that unauthorized persons may use cookies to access the information they should not actually have access to. A savvy hacker can, for example, create fake cookies and these are then stored in a user’s computer.
These cookies can then be used to eavesdrop and spy on what the user does on one or more sites. When you surf on Swedish sites, however, there is a law that says that all websites that use cookies must present that they are used, and for what purposes they are collected. Anyone who visits the site must also actively consent to the collection of cookies.