Introduction:
The growth and upsurge of the internet has brought about privacy issue for users. The term cookie in technological term has been used to refer to files that enable websites get specific information about a user on their website. This has grown to bring up many issues specifically about the user’s privacy. This research is aimed at finding out the intricacies that define the work of cookies and their uses. In this research paper, I will be discussing the topic on cookies and their importance when it comes to privacy on the internet. I will discuss the general meaning of cookies, how cookies work as well as the effect of cookies on the user’s privacy. In this research, I will also talk about ways in which to delete browser cookies in the currently most used browsers. Part of this research will be used to show how cookies can be used to achieve malicious intentions and why every user should have the knowledge necessary to manage this tendency. I will also be drawing a conclusion on the benefits and disadvantages of having cookies. This will hopefully benefit the readers of my research and enrich their knowledge hence giving them the knowhow to protect their privacy.
What is a cookie?
Some of the main information contained in cookies includes your computer’s URL; effects of the cookie; the website that made the cookie; and sometimes a random number. Cookies in themselves will not do anything to harm your computer; the worrying thing about cookies is that the information that is stored in a cookie may be used for purposes that are not in the interest of the user. Sale of cookie information is commonplace (Cookiecentral, 2012). With this there is the possibility that the information held within cookies could end up in the hands of people such as insurance companies who might end up using this information against you. The use of information from cookies clearly shows the possibility of a users' browsing history being used by people without his/her permission to cause them harm. This sensitive issue shows how the continued use of cookies, though beneficial, may turn out to be ugly and unorthodox browser (Iastate, 2012).
How to manage cookies
Cookies are elements of the website that can be very helpful, but sometimes they can cause damage in regards to a user’s privacy. The need for managing cookies is essential for any person using the internet. The files holding the cookies are many a time hidden in your computer so that the website you visited can store information such as browsing session history, passwords, and s for later retrieval (Allan, 2012). This information is generally critical to any user and without proper management; it could result in cases such as loss of account, money or even worse impersonation. This has made it a necessity for mostly used browsers to make it easy for users to manage browser history and delete cookies when they deem it necessary (Cookiecentral, 2012).
It is important for a user to regularly delete their cookies, recline the use of cookies from new websites and make sure they are using well-developed browsers for their privacy to be secure. Users may also result in the use of the secure portal (https) when visiting websites in order to prevent cookies accessing private information.
Every browser provides means that allow users either to allow the use of cookies on their browser, or to delete all the cookies. This gives the user of the browser the power to manage their privacy as need be. Most browsers recommend the use of cookies, but it is also proper management to delete these cookies after some time of usage, preferably on a monthly basis (Allan, 2012).
How to delete cookies
Different browsers have different ways of deleting cookies. The main browsers that I am going to highlight in this research are Google chrome, Firefox, Safari, and the widely known Internet explorer. All these browser parent companies know the importance of client privacy, and that is why the go out of their way to ensure their users are able to manage their own privacy by being able to delete the cookies.
In the Google chrome browser, there is usually a wrench on the upper right corner of your browser window in versions 14 and above. Upon clicking this wrench, another window opens and the options button is visible. Click the options version and within this window, there is an option called ‘under the hood’. Once you have clicked the under the hood button you will see the privacy section under which there is a cookies section. Within this section, there is the ‘all cookies and site data’. Click on it and proceed to click the button ‘remove all’ to delete all cookies within your browser (Allan, 2012).
On Firefox, first you have to ensure that your browser is the latest, and then from the Firefox menu, select ‘options’. After you have done this select ‘options’ again. A series of tabs will be displayed, among them is the ‘privacy’ tab, you can select it. Within it, there is a History section. Within this section there is the ‘remove individual cookies’ link. Click on this link and a window will open. Bellow it a button labeled ‘Remove All Cookies’ is shown, click it to remove the cookies.
With safari, ensure you have the latest version of the browser, and then click on the gears icon on the upper right corner of the window. A drop down menu will be displayed, select ‘Reset Safari’. Make sure the box labeled ‘Remove all website data’ only. After you have done this, click on the reset button to remove all cookies that were brought in through the safari browser.
In the mostly used Internet Explorer, ensure that your browser is up to date. Then you can select ‘Tools’ from the main menu. In the window that opens, you will see the button ‘Delete Browsing History’. This page has the check box ‘Cookies’ among other check boxes. Ensure that you only check the cookies check box. After you have followed this procedure, you can click on the ‘Delete’ button to remove all cookies.
Conclusion
Cookies were introduced long before internet privacy was a big issue. The placing of such files on the hard drive of an internet user by third parties was commonplace at the beginning of this new creation. The file was populated with every activity that the user performed on the internet. The fact that cookies have IDs means that there is a possibility that the third party could link the cookie to a user’s identity. This could result in the sale of a user’s information, which is an incursion to a user’s privacy. From research, it is also evident that there are the various ways cookies are used by companies that employ websites as well as third party companies that make use of these cookies for advertisement (Cookiecentral, 2012).
Cookies can be used for malicious intentions; there has been the need to manage them. Any company that intends to use cookies is required to have restrictions and guidelines on how to do this. However, this is not always the case. The knowledge on cookies and managing them is a topic that covers internet privacy to a level that clearly shows the need for every internet user to know how to prevent such situations. Eventually, it is you and I who can guarantee your own internet security, not the companies that operate these websites.
References:
Iastate. (2012). Cookies: How they work. Retrieved from
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rhetoric/105H16/copa/aescopa.html
Cookiecentral. (2012). Cookie central: About us. Retrieved from
http://www.cookiecentral.com/
Allan,N. (2012). All about Cookies: What you didn’t know about cookies. Retrieved from
http://www.allaboutcookies.org/cookies/
Pcworld. (2012). Cookie: How to delete cookies. Retrieved from
http://www.pcworld.com/article/242939/how_to_delete_cookies.html
Allan,N. (2012). Privacy: Privacy with regards to cookies. Retrieved from
http://www.allaboutcookies.org/privacy-concerns/
About cookies. (2012). About cookies: All about cookies. Retrieved from
www.aboutcookies.org/default.aspx?page=2
