Website cookies have been a part of our shared internet experience since 1994 when the world wide web was only three years old.
And like any three-year old there were struggles.
Internet cookies are kind of like that odd leftover cookie on the holiday tray that no one is sure of what it is but in reality, it could be quite good.
Cookies have been railed against, blocked, argued over, and generally misunderstood. We think after 26 years, people deserve to know exactly why cookies have become such a bad word.
In an effort to explain as precisely as possible what website cookies are, we’ve enlisted the help of the nation’s foremost expert on cookies. This is what he had to say:
“Me have no idea what website cookies are. Me only know me want to eat them!”
He then proceeded to spray the room with cookie fragments. Needless to say, we were misled about Mr. Monster’s qualifications.
So, we don’t have the nation’s leading expert. Lucky for you, we happen to be the 217th-ranked experts on website cookies, so we can offer a fairly clear explanation.
We can also eat without dropping our entire meal out of our mouths in a crazed frenzy, so we think you’re getting a better deal.
What Are Cookies and What Do They Do?
Cookies are simple text files that are left on your computer by websites that you visit. They usually contain information about the specific pages you looked at and any personal information you volunteered. They can also be used to track items in your shopping cart as you shop online.
Each time you visit the site or move from page to page your browser sends this cookie file back to the server so that it can check on and update information.
In short, cookies let websites track you as you move around their site. They provide access to information that sites can use to personalize your experience. Only the website (or advertiser) that leaves a cookie can recall it, so cookies never risk sharing sensitive data between sites.
Are they inherently bad? No. In many cases, they can be quite useful, and disabling them can impair functionality on certain websites.
And if you’re gonna be followed by something, a cookie seems kind of harmless. It’s better than being followed by a guy in a garbage can or an 8-foot yellow bird. Now that would be a little frightening.
Can they be abused? Certainly. That’s why it’s best to selectively allow cookies on sites that you trust.
What Happens with Cookies When Browsing Incognito?
You might imagine that cookies aren’t accepted when using your browser’s incognito mode. But you’d be wrong. Because websites can sometimes break without cookies, your browser will still accept them.
However, they’re placed into a temporary folder, and when the incognito browser window is closed, the cookies are deleted.
In many ways, this makes incognito browsing an ideal way to avoid cookie overreach. But there are other ways of dealing with them as well.
Clearing Your Cache to Eliminate Cookies
Your browser’s cache holds onto a number of useful items to improve your experience.
When you visit a website, your cache keeps a copy of the text and images you encounter. The next time you visit, the site will load much faster because your browser will default to displaying the files you already have downloaded.
Your cache also holds your browsing and download histories, saved passwords, autofill data, and, of course, cookies.
To rid your browser of them, all you need to do is clear your cache. Simple instructions are available online for all major browsers. You’ll have the option to purge all of your cached data or only specific types. You can also purge data from just the last hour, day, week, etc.
To purge all of your cookies, simply deselect all other cache data types and then select the time range “All time”.
This way you can keep cookies enabled, and then periodically clean them out.
You can have your cookies and delete them, too! Mr. Monster would be proud.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got this unexplainable desire for a glass of milk.
Oh, if you need help with any technical issues on your website, feel free to book a free strategy session with us to see how we can help.
