In the digital world we live in today, you may have noticed that websites will prompt you to accept cookies. But what exactly are cookies? Are they helpful or harmful? And are you supposed to get rid of them on your device?
If you have ever had these questions then this guide will help you understand everything in layman’s terms. Here’s a breakdown of what cookies are, how they work and if you should delete them.
What Are Cookies?
Online, cookies are small text files which get saved in your device by the websites you access. They include details that allow websites to identify you and enhance your web surfing adventure.
How Do Cookies Work?
✔ When you go on a site, it makes a cookie and stores it in your browser.
✔ When you revisit the same website, your browser returns the cookie to the website.
✔ This allows the website to remember your preferences, login information or items in your shopping cart.
Cookies adhere a bit more to what may otherwise be a bumpy browsing experience, but they can also gather some information about you.
Types of Cookies
Not all cookies are the same. There are various kinds of it, each serve different intentions.
First-Party Cookies
✔ Set and stored by the website you are visiting.
✔ Let you remember things like language, login or shopping cart information.
✔ The user experience is generally unaffected and improve.
💡 Now, for instance: When you login to Facebook and use it without issue, that’s because of first-party cookies.
Third-Party Cookies
✔ Produced by companies that are separate from the site you are visiting.
✔ Typically utilized for advertising and tracking on different sites.
✔ Considered invasive as they track browsing habits.
💡 For example: If you’re looking up shoes on one website, and then you see shoe ads on another site, that’s thanks to third-party cookies.
Session Cookies
✔ Session cookies that are auto-deleted when you close your browser.
✔ For temporary tasks like staying signed in as you navigate a site.
💡 Example: Session cookies are used by online banking websites to log you out after a certain period of inactivity.
Persistent Cookies
✔ Remain on your device for longer, even after you close the browser.
✔ Helps you remember settings and log-in information.
💡 Example: None of these is actually your data.
Secure Cookies
• Sent only via encrypted channels (HTTPS)
✔ Used for highly sensitive information, such as online banking and payment portals.
💡 Example: If you are using secure cookies—Your payment details are saved with secure cookies while online shopping.
Benefits of Cookies
Cookies enhance your browsing experience in various ways:
Remembering Login Details
✔ Remembers your usernames and passwords, so you don’t have to type them in again.
✔ speeds up access to your favourite websites.
💡 Example: The way Gmail will keep you logged in using cookies.
Enhancing Website Experience
✔ Remember settings for dark mode, language or layout.
✔ Retains shopping cart info, even if you exit the page
💡 Example: Amazon holds your cart: Amazon saves your selected products in the cart if you leave the platform and return later.
Personalized Content and Ads
✔ Displays relevant recommendations according to your browsing behaviour.
✔ Cuts down on random, irrelevant ads
💡 For example, Netflix suggests series according to what you have watched in the past.
Faster Browsing
✔ Field data about frequently browsed websites to help load pages faster.
✔ Reduces the need to present the same information repeatedly.
💡 Example: News websites load faster since they remember previous visits.
Risks of Cookies
Although cookies are convenient, they carry several risks:
Privacy Concerns
✔ Third-party cookies follow browsing habits and gather data to enable targeted advertisements.
✔ Some may sell your browsing data to advertisers.
💡 As an example, you look up vacation deals, and boom, all you see are travel ads.
Security Risks
❌𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬.
✔ Cookies if not secured, can lead to session hijacking.
💡 Example: If a hacker steals your cookies, they can access your accounts.
Unconsented Data Collection
✔ Some sites do not say exactly how they use cookies.
✔ Users can end up consenting to data collection on a wide scale without realizing it.
And: 💡 Example A website that is tracking your location without permission.
Slower Performance
✔ Excessive cookies consume storage space, causing browsers to slow down.
✔ Too much tracking can slow down websites.
💡 Example: Too many stored cookies → slow browser
Should You Delete Cookies?
Now that we understand both the pros and cons, should you clear cookies? It depends on your privacy preferences and browsing habits.
When to Delete Cookies
✔ If your browser is slow — Excess cookies can slow down your system.
✔ If you see a lot of ads – Deleting cookies can reset targeted advertising.
✔ When using public/shared computers – Protects your accounts from unauthorized use.
✔ Importance of Privacy – Deleted cookies mean no tracking.
When to Keep Cookies
✔ If you regularly access a secure site (like banking or email).
✔ If you want sites to save your login credentials and other preferences.
✔ If you don’t mind viewing targeted ads.
How to Delete Cookies?
Clearing cookies is simple and obtainable within any browser.
For Google Chrome:
Select the three dots in the upper right-hand corner.
Open Settings, and head to Privacy and security.
Click Clear browsing data.
Choose Cookies and other site data, and click Clear data.
For Mozilla Firefox:
Click the menu button (three horizontal, stacked lines).
Head to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under Cookies and Site Data, select Clear Data.
For Microsoft Edge:
Tap the three dots at the top right.
Navigate to the Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
Next to Cookies and other site data, check the box.
For Safari (Mac & iPhone):
Go to Settings > Safari.
Select Clear History and Website Data.
💡 TIP: For better privacy, you can also configure your browser to automatically block third-party cookies.
Conclusion
Although cookies are crucial to improving user experience, they present privacy and security issues. While first-party cookies allow websites to remember your preferences, third-party cookies follow you around to serve you more relevant advertising.
Key Takeaways:
✔ Cookies are used for storing the information you use to browse.
✔ First-party cookies are harmless, whereas third-party cookies are responsible for tracking users.
✔ Leads to quicker web viewing, retained logins, and customized content.
✔ Risks are privacy invasion, security risks, and slower devices.
✔ I am saying that deleting cookies from time to time improves privacy and improves the speed of browsing time.
💡 Final Advice:
R→ Keep cookies from trusted/sites that I use.
✔️ Remove cookies from unknown or suspicious sites.
✅ Enable third-party cookie blocking on your browser for improved privacy.
Would you rather have privacy than convenience, or do cookies work for you? Let us know in the comments! 🚀
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