“This website utilizes cookies to better your experience,” says almost every website you visit. “Do you accept cookies?” or something along those lines. Do you usually click “Yes” without even thinking about it since you want to get to the material as soon as possible?
Well, you are not alone. According to a research by NordVPN, only 7% of Americans never accept cookies, and 43% say they always accept cookies.
What is a cookie?
A cookie, also known as an HTTP cookie or a browser cookie, is a small piece of data that your browser saves whenever you visit a website. When this option is selected, the website will remember your choices and any minor modifications you made during your previous visit.
The problem
Cookies can follow everything you do online and establish a partial ID of who you are, even with a VPN. Furthermore, third parties have the ability to sell your cookies. Third-party cookies are used by some websites to generate income. These aren’t functional, and their sole goal is to make money off of your information.
Cookies are an unavoidable element of the internet. Without them, you couldn’t connect to a website or add items to your online shopping basket. However, having too many cookies can compromise your security and privacy. Sometimes, they can be spied on or utilized to impersonate a user to obtain access to their account or commit a crime using their identity.
As a result, people also feel that their data is being compromised. NordVPN research shows that 61% of Americans think their information is being used for targeted ads.
The Solution
To start with, erase all of your browser’s cookies from your browser’s settings. Most browsers also provide options to block unwanted cookies automatically. Second, enable incognito mode on your browser. It was designed to create a single browsing session that does not save cookies or your browsing history. Finally, take advantage of a virtual private network (VPN). One of the most important aspects of a VPN is disguising your IP address, which is essential if you want to keep your internet searches private.
Consultant Intern: Currently in her third year of B.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology(IIT), Goa. She is an ML enthusiast and has a keen interest in Data Science. She is a very good learner and tries to be well versed with the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence.
