Financial Schools Reviews

As an internet user, you may have heard the term “cookies.” (No, I’m not talking about the kind with chocolate chips, so you can put that glass of milk away). What are internet cookies, exactly? What purpose do they serve? Do they invade your privacy or increase your chance of identity theft?

What cookies do

Cookies are used on websites primarily for convenience purposes. Without getting into technical specifics, cookies store information such as passwords and login data onto your computer so that every time you visit a webpage, the data is automatically retrieved.

Sure, cookies make things extremely convenient. They can keep items in your shopping cart after you leave a website and store preferences on your home page (Yahoo, Google, and MSN make good use of this feature). However, there is a cost to privacy. For example, websites sometimes keep track of the ads you click on and then show similar ads. This is a smart marketing tactic, yet it is worrying to some.

Is the convenience that cookies bring to internet consumers worth the invasion of privacy?

What are the privacy risks of cookies, anyway?

Frankly, cookies only pose a risk to your identity if you leave your private information stored on a public or shared computer. In other words, don’t save your password on a library computer. Imagine the dangers that could occur if you saved your password to your bank account, for instance, on a public computer! Then, someone could simply go to the website and automatically be logged into your account.

But on your private computer at home, cookies shouldn’t cause concern. People can’t steal your cookies across the internet. If you or your loved ones are the only people who use a computer, you can feel secure in storing your private information via cookies.

Clearing internet cookies

Those who want to be extra cautious can clear their internet cookies. There are also cookie privacy settings in most browsers. These give you control over which websites can store cookies on your computer, and you can even choose to block all cookies.

Blocking all cookies is probably too drastic of a move, especially considering the convenience that cookies can bring to web browsing. Just be cautious as to which computers you allow cookies to be stored, and you will be fine. If you go one step further and delete your cookies periodically, you will be extra safe.

Similar Posts:

• 72% of U.S. Adults Fear Online Identity Theft
• The Importance of Protecting Yourself at Public Internet Hotspots
• Password Manager LastPass Suffers Possible Data Breach
• Identity Theft Protection Guide
• What to Do When You Get a Data Breach Letter