Cookies: A Lifetime on the Hips, AND your Hard Drive

Computer cookies are small amounts of data that a website sends to a user's computer after accessing that website. The computer stores a cookie and sends it back to the website when the user visits it again in the future. A cookie provides information on the user's previous activity on the website, also known as the website's state for that user. Browsers allow the user to enable and disable cookies, depending on the user's preferences.

Uses

Various types of cookies exist, depending on their specific function. Web servers often use authentication cookies, which tell the website when a user is logged into the website. These cookies allow the website to send sensitive information to users without requiring them to log in again. The level of security that authentication cookies provide depends on factors such as the website, browser and encryption of the cookie.

Websites may also use tracking cookies to track a user's browsing history over a long period of time. Third-party tracking cookies are set when the browser retrieves components that are stored on servers other than the primary web server. Tracking cookies represent a major privacy concern since they often store sensitive information such as passwords, addresses, and credit card numbers. Lawmakers in Europe and the United States both began regulating the use of tracking cookies in 2011. These laws generally restrict the circumstances under which a website may use tracking cookies.

Internet Explorer

Set your cookie preferences in Internet Explorer by selecting Tools on the menu bar and the Internet Options menu item. Select the Privacy tab and click the “Advanced” button. Check the box marked "Override automatic cookie handling" to make changes to Internet Explorer's default handling of cookies.

You can independently specify cookie handling for first and third party cookies. The available options include accepting cookies, blocking cookies and prompting the user each time a cookie is requested. You can also check a box to always allow a session to use cookies.

Firefox

Set your cookie preferences in Firefox by selecting Tools on the menu bar and the Internet Options menu item. Select the Privacy tab and the item in the drop-down box that reads "Use custom settings for history". This action will display the settings for modifying cookie behavior.

Check the box marked "Always use private browsing mode" to disable cookies under all circumstances. The next two options allow your web browser to remember your browsing history and search history. The next option allows the web browser to accept all cookies from web sites, and you can also independently enable and disable third-party cookies. Options for third-party cookies include keeping them until they expire, until Firefox closes or prompting the user each time a website requests a third-party cookie.