It’s Not a Cookie, It’s a Privacy Concern:
Cookies are an omnipresent part of our online experience. Almost every time you open a website, you’re met with the “Do you accept cookies?” banner. Most of these banners intentionally downplay the complexity of the mechanism. The cute icons and fun designs gently pressure us into accepting all cookies.
While first-party cookies are generally harmless and meant to improve your user experience, third-party cookies are more problematic.
So problematic, in fact, that Google announced a significant initiative back in 2020 to end the use of third-party cookies in its Chrome browser by 2022. This project, known as the Privacy Sandbox, aimed to create web technologies that protect user privacy while still allowing for targeted advertising. However, due to significant delays and pushback from the digital advertising industry, Google pushed the deadline to 2024 and ultimately abandoned the initiative altogether.
Now, it’s just you and me, and we’re going to learn why it’s important to be able to tell the difference, and what tools to use to stay in the clear.
How Do Cookies Work?
When you click “accept cookies,” you are installing small pieces of data on your browser. The next time you visit the same website, your browser sends these stored data packets back to the website’s server. This allows the site to recognize you, remembering your login status, language preference, or items in your shopping cart, and customize your experience without requiring you to re-enter details.
Those are known as “First-Party Cookies,” which are set by the website you’re directly interacting with to enhance your experience on that specific site.
“Third-Party Cookies” however, are set by domains other than the one you are currently visiting. For example, if a website includes ads from an external advertising network, that network can place cookies on your browser. These cookies track your activities across various sites, not just the one you’re on. This allows third parties to build detailed profiles of your interests and behavior for targeted advertising purposes.
From a broader, less privacy-focused standpoint, we recognize that cookies come in various categories, each with specific functions. They are essential for creating a smooth and efficient web experience. Session cookies keep you logged in as you move through different pages of a site, while persistent cookies remember your language settings and other preferences for future visits. Additionally, tracking and analytics cookies provide valuable insights into user behavior, enabling website owners to refine their services and tailor the experience to better suit your needs.
Why Should I Be Concerned About Third-Party Cookies?
Concerns about third-party cookies stem from their extensive role in tracking and profiling online behavior. They follow us across the internet, collect data on browsing habits, interests, and preferences. This data is then sold to advertisers and data brokers, that create comprehensive profiles of our online activities. While targeted advertising has become the norm, it is still invasive and manipulative. With enough data, companies can even predict a consumer’s purchasing behavior upfront, without their consent, raising an ethical dilemma about about personal autonomy.
And finally, third-party cookies are a security risk because they’re prone to being exploited through various vulnerabilities, such as session hijacking, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF), potentially leading to unauthorized access to your accounts and personal information.
Regulatory and Legal Issues
With growing privacy concerns, regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have been introduced to protect users. These laws require websites to obtain explicit consent before setting cookies, ensuring greater transparency and control over personal data.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Enforced in the European Union, the GDPR mandates that websites must obtain clear and informed consent from users before storing cookies on their devices. It also gives users the right to access, delete, and restrict the processing of their data.
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): This law grants California residents similar rights, including the right to know what personal data is being collected, the right to delete personal data, and the right to opt out of the sale of their personal data.
- Compliance Requirements: Websites must provide clear information about their use of cookies, obtain explicit consent from users, and offer easy-to-use options for managing cookie preferences.
Best Practices For Privacy-Conscious Users
As a user, you can take control of your privacy by adjusting your browser settings to block or delete cookies, using privacy-focused browsers, and regularly clearing your browsing data.
- Adjust Browser Settings: Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. You can customize these settings to enhance your privacy. There is typically a checkbox in your browser that enables you to delete all cookies every time you close the browser. This might inconvenience some users when it comes to services that need regular logins however, you can use the browser’s password manager to retain your user credentials.
- Use Privacy-Focused Browsers: Consider using browsers that prioritize user privacy, such as Brave or Mozilla Firefox.
- Regularly Clear Cookies: Periodically delete cookies to prevent long-term tracking and reduce the amount of stored data.