Cookies, Anonymity, and Protection
Cookies are not generally harmful, but they can be used to store information that you may not want known. I found one that leaves my full name and physical address, in plain text, in the cookie.Cookies supposedly can only be retrieved by the server that put them there, but I still didn't like it!
Cookies are properly used to store preferences or other useful in formation for a site. They can be only for one time (per-session cookies) and disappear when you close your browser, or they can be stored on your hard drive. They are text files, not programs, and cannot be viruses or trojans. All they do is store data. They can be a wonderful to give a site personality adapted to the person browsing, if a site uses them properly, and doesn't abuse them. They are great for game sites and chat sites, and other places that you might want to have your preferences stored, so that you don't need to re-state them each time you enter the site.
I keep about 35 cookies permanently on my browser. They are all for sites that can be adapted to my tastes to some extent. I'm very fond of these cookies. I don't even care if they are gathering information from me. When I go to the sites, the things that interest me show up, and even better, things that don't interest me don't show up. They say things like "Welcome back, Kathy", and so forth, all of which are very nice touches. Cookies can be great fun.
The cookies I object to are "third party cookies". These are usually from ad servers, and they are used only to track you. When you see a banner ad, you are also getting a cookie, these servers will also check to see if you had a previous cookie from them, and can build a database of your browsing habits. Then they sell the demographic information. Many shopping sites and search engines do this also, they save your clicks, so that they can send you ads "adjusted" to your interests. I delete all shopping and search cookies - I get a much more interesting range of ads that way. Especially since I often do searches for other people, whose interests in no way match mine!
In Opera, you can set cookies to be deleted when you close the browser (making all cookies per-session, and frustrating ad servers). In MSIE 5+, you can set all ad servers, and others you dislike, to be restricted sites, then tell it not to accept cookies from restricted sitesl. Netscape 4.5+ will let you ban all 3rd party cookies, which will keep those sites from dropping a cookie on you unless you go directly to their site. I use all three of these browsers, and have them set as I just described. I still have to go through and clean things out every once in a while. Opera and the beta Netscape 6 have the right idea, you tell them to 'ask about cookies'. Each time they ask and you allow or disallow, the information can be saved, after which you aren't asked on that site again. So after a bit of annoyance, you end up with only cookies you want to have.
In any of the browsers, there are ways to delete cookies even if you set the browser to accept them, but this can get very time-consuming. Especially since there will be cookies you want to keep. Keep in mind that a cookie cannot access your hard drive and send information, or anything like that, they are just text. The only information a cookie can send is information that server put there in the first place. I periodically go and delete cookies, but most people would rather have something easier! These all come well-recommended by people I trust. Even though I'm nerd enough to do it by hand, one of these days I may get one of them!
- Cookie Jar (UNIX)
- I included this one for webmasters and such like - can be put on a UNIX server and run as a proxy. Lets you accept or reject cookies from various sites. Comes with an initial file with some already set.
- Cookie Crusher
- Allows you to set accept/reject on cookies from various sites, (can also reject all, but you can do that in any browser). $15, or $20 to order on disk.
- Cookie Cruncher
- Protects your hard drive from unwanted cookies. The latest version of Cookie Cruncher works with AOL, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Netscape Navigator. It lets you select which cookies to keep or delete when it starts up. You can also view the content of the cookies and edit Explorer and AOL cookies. Free!
- Malcolm's Guide to Persistent Cookies
- Best info source I've found so far on cookies. Very good explanation of how cookies work.
Some proxies can also be used to selectively accept and reject cookies, the two I use are listed on the annoyances page.