What are cookies on the web?

instagram viewer

While visiting a website today, have you been asked whether you want to allow cookies? These are now part of the everyday life of every internet user. But do you actually know exactly what cookies are on the web and how you can delete them from your PC?

Cookies are collected on almost every website.
Cookies are collected on almost every website.

Cookies on the Internet - basic knowledge and examples

  • Cookies are small pieces of data that are collected by users of a website and stored on their servers.
  • However, before visiting a website, you must agree that the website provider may carry out this action. There are now websites in the Internetwhich can only be used after accepting the cookies.
  • One example is the access data to user accounts, which is very common in social networks. In this way, the provider's server can immediately recognize who is accessing his site and immediately inserts the correct user name and possibly the correct password.
  • Another example would be Amazon's website. The search queries of the respective user are saved here and used again on the next visit, i.e. individual purchase suggestions are offered to the user.

Data Collection on the Web - Disadvantages and Countermeasures

  • In addition to the advantages, such as the storage of access data, there are also some disadvantages of cookies on the Internet. This includes, for example, unwanted spam emails. Their contents are often "tailored" precisely to the recipient, which means that products are offered that the Internet user recently searched for on the Internet.
    • How do I delete cookies? - That's how it's done

    Deleting cookies is not magic and is also very quick. Cookies are ...

  • Another disadvantage are the cookies on your PC if they take up a lot of storage space. This is noticeable, among other things, by a slower speed of the PC.
  • If you want to delete cookies on your PC due to the storage space, it is best to use a program that locates them and then deletes them. An example would be the program "CCleaner".
  • Please note, however, that you will have to re-enter all access data in your online accounts after such a deletion.

How helpful do you find this article?

click fraud protection