What are cookies?
On hearing the term “cookies”, the majority might expect to get a treat while considering them desserts. However, in the case of computers, cookies are referred to as small files that are being stored on your computer by a web server on viewing some of the sites online. They are also called as an HTTP cookie, an internet cookie or a web-browser cookie.
Based on your preferences, storing of an adequate amount of data is done by computer cookies; and, in this way an access to it can be easily gained by the web server or the client’s computer. Personal registration details including your name, address, other settings for the language and location aree usually stored by these cookies.
Why do websites use cookies?
The simplest answer to this question is that these cookies are used by the websites for remembering your identity (name, language or your location) and your priorities.
Moreover, cookies makes it easy for gaining the access to some of the websites, which in turn makes the identification of the members being registered and also makes the content easily available to only the members being registered. Performance of a particular site is monitored by the way people visit it, with the help of these computer cookies.
On your visit to a site, cookies enable the web servers to personalize your data to meet up with your particular preferences.
How to enable and disable a cookie on your pc?
Depending upon which browser you use, the method to enable and disable a cookie varies. Method for some of the commonly used browsers is mentioned below:
Google Chrome
To enable cookies on Google Chrome, move the cursor to the top right corner of your browser, and click on the parallel bars or dots. Select “Settings” and after scrolling down click on the “Advanced” option. Whereas for its older versions, select “Options” on the “Customize and control” option and then click on the tab of “Under the Bonnet”. Go to the “Privacy and security” area, choose the “content settings” option followed by the “Cookies”. Adjust the slider to block or allow the desired cookie behaviour and enter URLs to the test bars of “Block”, “clear on exit” and “Allow” for setting up the cookie behaviour for particular websites.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0-11.0
Move the cursor to the top right corner of your browser and click on the button “Tools”, and then “Internet Options”. Open the “Privacy” tab for adjusting the desired behaviour of cookies that originate on the website (first-party cookie) being visited by you or from the sites besides the one you visit (third party cookie).
Firefox 3.0
Move the cursor to the top right corner of your Firefox 3.0, open the “Tools” bar and then select the “Options” button. Click on the “Privacy” option. This can help you enable or disable cookies and also the time duration for which they can remain enabled or disabled.
Firefox 7.0 and newer
Move the cursor on to the parallel lines on the top right corner of the browser, click on the “options” and then the “Privacy” tab. Open the dropdown list of “Firefox will” section and choose “Use custom settings for history”. Here, you can check the enabling or disabling of the cookies for your most visited websites and the other ones and also the duration for which they have been enabled.
Are there risks enabling cookies on your website?
Nowadays, users are very much concerned about the issues that involve privacy and security on the internet. Enabling cookies on your site produces no such risks that can be harmful for your computer. However, cookies can be used by some sites and search engines for tracking users and collecting highly personalized data. They sometimes secretly transfer it to other sites.