Cookies Assist Users While Robbing Privacy

Summary: Internet cookies have existed for several years and have become very popular. However, their use has caused criticism from several privacy experts. They claim that cookies allow web site administrators the right to monitor the movement of Internet users through the Internet - this is a clear violation of the Internet's anonymity. It also discusses how to deal with this claim. Cookie is a small text file placed on the client browser by the web server for identification. This small text file (usually less than 1K) may contain information to identify the user to the web server.

HTTP cookie is data stored on the user's computer to help automate access to Web sites and Web features or other state information required by complex Web sites. You can also store special usage history data in Cookie and use it for user tracking. Such cookies (for example, cookies used in Google Analytics) are called tracking cookies. Cookies are a common concern in the area of ​​Internet privacy. Web developers mostly use cookies for legitimate technical purposes, but they may be exploited. In 2009, two researchers pointed out that social network profiles can be associated with cookies and that social network profiles can be related to browsing habits.

Internet cookies are very valuable to consumers and web site operators, but they are concerned that their privacy will be violated. Without cookies, the speed of the Internet will be slow, navigation will be difficult in the electronics market, and the entire online experience will be irritated. The Internet alliance requires not to regulate cookies to legislators, but to cooperate with the industry to solve potential problems: privacy and security. We must remind consumers how to use technology and common sense to protect their online personal privacy.

This creates a world where people lose their privacy. In some companies, users do not own their own information but instead keep track of user information to obtain personal information. To do this, place "cookies" on the user's hard drive and then group them into predefined interest categories. The advertiser can use it later to customize custom ads. With this rich information, search engines can not only sell more customized behavioral advertisements to users, but also continuously improve the search results of users. It is unknown whether the main purpose of the search engine for storing such data is by the former or the latter. Google is convinced that the ranking algorithm is the main reason to maintain user information, but search engines strongly demand the use of information gathered to expand their ad-based business model, Hoofnagle and others Scholars point out.