1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a user’s web browser. They are used to remember and track information about the user’s interactions and preferences on the website. When you visit a website, it may send a cookie to your browser, which is then stored on your device.
Cookies serve various purposes, such as:
- Session Management: Cookies can store information about your session on a website, allowing you to navigate between pages without having to reauthenticate or lose any settings.
- Personalization: Websites use cookies to remember your preferences and provide a personalized experience. For example, a website might remember your preferred language, layout, or font size.
- Tracking and Analytics: Cookies can be used to gather data about how users interact with a website, such as the pages they visit, the time spent on each page, and any errors encountered. This information helps website owners analyze and improve their site’s performance.
- Advertising: Cookies play a crucial role in targeted advertising. They can track your browsing behavior and interests, enabling advertisers to display relevant ads based on your preferences. This is often done through third-party cookies provided by advertising networks.
It’s important to note that while cookies are generally harmless, they can raise privacy concerns. They can potentially track your online activities and collect personal information. However, most modern web browsers provide settings that allow you to manage and control how cookies are stored and accessed on your device. You can choose to block or delete cookies, as well as configure preferences for different types of cookies.
2. Instructions on how to delete, enable and manage cookies
Here are instructions on how to delete, enable, and manage cookies on some popular web browsers:
- Google Chrome:
- Open Chrome and click on the three-dot icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down and click on “Advanced” to expand the advanced settings.
- Under the “Privacy and security” section, click on “Clear browsing data.”
- Ensure that the “Cookies and other site data” option is selected.
- You can choose a time range to delete data or select “All time” to clear all cookies.
- Click on “Clear data” to delete the cookies.
- Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Firefox and click on the three-line icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Options” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Privacy & Security” in the left menu.
- Under the “Cookies and Site Data” section, click on “Clear Data.”
- Make sure the “Cookies and Site Data” option is selected.
- Click on “Clear” to delete the cookies.