It is impossible for a user today to surf the internet without cookies, to reject or accept. A pop-up shows in our browser that asks to either “accept all” or “reject all.” In a few cases, a third option allows you to ‘manage preferences’.
The pop-ups can be annoying, and your first reaction is to remove them immediately, and you hit that “accept all” button. But is there anything else you can do?
About cookies
Cookies are small files that are saved by web pages, and they have information for personalizing user experience, particularly for the most visited websites. The cookies may remember your login details, preferred news items, or your shopping preferences based on your browsing history. Cookies also help advertisers target your browsing behaviour via targeted ads.
Types of cookies
Session cookies: These are for temporary use, like tracking items in your shopping cart. When a browser session is inactive, the cookies are automatically deleted.
Persistent cookies: As the name suggests, these cookies are used for longer periods. For example, saving logging details for accessing emails faster. They can expire from days to years.
About cookie options
When you are on a website, pop-ups inform you about the “essential cookies” that you can’t opt out of because if you do, you may not be able to use the website's online features, like shopping carts wouldn’t work. But in the settings, you can opt out of “non-essential cookies.”
Three types of non-essential cookies
- Functional cookies- Based on browsing experience. (for instance, region or language selection)
- Advertising cookies- Third-party cookies, which are used to track user browsing activities. These cookies can be shared with third parties and across domains and platforms that you did not visit.
- Analytics cookies- They give details about metrics, such as how visitors use the website
