Cookies collect information – online habits, previous visits, search history, etc. – and pass them on to the servers of the cookie owners. This information is then used for targeted advertisements and personalized content. Cookies from another website that you have not visited
can also track you
.
Tracking cookies can record all kinds of information: search queries, purchases, device information, location, when and where you saw previous advertisements, how many times you've seen an ad, and what links you click on.
Deleting your cookies makes online browsing less convenient. … It's important to keep in mind that
deleting cookies doesn't eliminate all data tracking
. Many websites can reconstruct your cookies, unless you clear your cache and browsing history, too.
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click More. Settings.
- Under “Privacy and security,” click Cookies and other site data.
- Click See all cookies and site data. Remove all.
- Confirm by clicking Clear all.
When created,
cookies normally don't contain any personal information
. They don't scan your computer or do any kind of investigation to find out your personal information. Any personal information they might contain is a result of your own input on a website's form.
You definitely should not accept cookies
– and delete them if you mistakenly do. Outdated cookies. If a website page has been updated, the cached data in cookies might conflict with the new site. This could give you trouble the next time you try to upload that page.
In the Privacy and Security section, click Content Settings then Cookies. Turning cookies off completely would disable all the features we've talked about so far, not just the tracking ones. So it's
advisable to not block them entirely
.
Cookies do not directly display passwords
, instead they contain a hash that stores your password. When a password has been hashed, it has been scrambled so only the website it came from can read it. The website uses a unique encryption algorithm to encode and decode the hash.
If you see a “You appear to have Cookies disabled. … You have other software installed on your system/network that
is overriding your browser cookie preferences
, such as an Anti-Virus or Internet Security product.
But you can easily block these cookies from your browser settings. In the ‘Settings' page, click on the ‘Content Settings' option to open up the ‘Content Settings' page. Then click on ‘Cookies'. This will take you to the ‘Cookies' page where you can block or unblock 3
rd
-party cookies.
Since the data in cookies doesn't change,
cookies themselves aren't harmful
. They can't infect computers with viruses or other malware. However, some cyberattacks can hijack cookies and enable access to your browsing sessions. The danger lies in their ability to track individuals' browsing histories.
Can cookies be used to violate my privacy? …
Cookies cannot be used to obtain personal information from your computer
. The only data in a cookie is the data put into by a website's server. The only site that has access to it is the site that put it there.
Cookies cannot be used to spread viruses and they cannot access your hard drive. This does not mean that cookies are not relevant to a user's privacy and anonymity on the Internet. … In only this way are
cookies a threat to privacy
. The cookie will only contain information that you freely provide to a Web site.
As the number of persistent cookies builds up on your computer, they
can contribute to slow Internet performance
. Deleting the cookies can lead to faster overall Internet access, but may also cause slower access to the sites you visit frequently.
If you're using a public computer, you should delete them and other data, such as browsing history, right after your session. If it's your personal device, we recommend clearing all cookies
at least once a month
. Also, you should do this if you see a drop in browser performance or after visiting a shady website.
Click the Menu ☰ icon at the top right corner of the window, then select Options. Select Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and then click
Clear
Data. A new window will appear. Tick both Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content, and then click Clear.
