Cookies facilitate certain features that can make the surfing experience
more convenient and valuable for web users. A "cookie" is a small piece of information which a web
server can store on your web browser. It is useful for having your
browser remember some specific information which the web server can
later retrieve. As you browse the web, some cookies are "set" on your web browser. When you quit your browser, some cookies are
stored in your computer's memory in a cookie file, while some expire,
or disappear. All cookies have expiration dates.
The cookie is set
on a particular browser on a particular computer, so when you use
a different computer, the cookie will not exist. Cookies are used, for example, when a browser stores your password
to a particular site so that you do not have to input it every time
you visit.
Cookies are also used to store preferences you express
for information that is then aggregated and presented to you. Instances
where cookies are most commonly used include:
- Registering Online
If you decide to register for an informational site, such as
a newspaper, periodical or an interest group site, or even a
chat group or on-line community, so that you can use it on a
regular basis, you will likely be asked to supply some information
about yourself. Often cookies are used so that you do not have
to identify yourself every time you re-enter the site.
- Site Personalization
Cookies allow users to indicate what types of information they
are interested in receiving when they visit a particular site.
Users can then view only what they are interested in and not
waste time with news or information that is of no interest to
them.
- Web Site Tracking
Tracking allows website owners to find out what pages visitors
link to, and interpret or infer what is interesting to them.
This helps the owners of sites to keep their content fresh and
relevant.
- Targeted Marketing
Cookies can be used to build a profile of where on a particular
site you visit. This information is then used to target advertising
that might be of interest to you. Some sites use cookies to "remember" which advertisements were sent to you,
so that you do not see the same ones again.
- Security
Cookies cannot be used to obtain data from your hard drive,
get your e-mail address or steal sensitive or personal information
about you.
Note also that computer viruses are not passed through the setting
or use of cookies.
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