You may view certain items or parts of a site, and cookies use this data to help build targeted ads that you might enjoy. Tracking. Shopping sites use cookies
to track items users previously viewed
, allowing the sites to suggest other goods they might like and keep items in shopping carts while they continue shopping.
The standalone data of a cookie is not inherently bad
, nor a type of malware. It's the concern of what a website will do with that data that can be harmful to a user's privacy. Virtual criminals could potentially use the information from cookies to data-mine browsing history.
Do you have to accept cookies? – The short answer is,
no, you do not have to accept cookies
. Rules like the GDPR were designed to give you control over your data and browsing history.
Accepting cookies will give you the best user experience on the website, while
declining cookies
could potentially interfere with your use of the site. For example, online shopping. Cookies enable the site to keep track of all of the items that you've placed in your cart while you continue to browse.
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 Outdated cookies.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.
Yet, depending on how cookies are used and exposed, they can represent a serious security risk. For instance,
cookies can be hijacked
. As most websites utilize cookies as the only identifiers for user sessions, if a cookie is hijacked, an attacker could be able to impersonate a user and gain unauthorized access.
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.
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click More .
- Click More tools. Clear browsing data.
- At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
- Next to “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files,” check the boxes.
- Click Clear data.
Most of the time, cookies are no big deal. There are a few occasions, though, where you should decline cookies.
Don't worry
—if you find yourself in a situation where you need to decline or simply want to decline for whatever reason, most websites will work just fine without collecting your information.
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click More. Settings.
- Under “Privacy and security,” click Site settings.
- Click Cookies.
- From here, you can: Turn on cookies: Next to “Blocked,” turn on the switch. Turn off cookies: Turn off Allow sites to save and read cookie data.
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
.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Chrome app .
- At the top right, tap More .
- Tap History. Clear browsing data.
- At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
- Next to “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files,” check the boxes.
- Tap Clear data.
What's referred to as third-party cookies
allow advertisers to track a person's browsing history across the web on any site that contains their ads
. The problem with that is, despite the fact that the internet is generally secure, your data can quickly make it into the hands of many advertisers and websites.
What Happens if I Delete Cookies? If you delete cookies,
the entire history of your web browsing experience will be lost
. Any websites that you were logged into or set preferences for will not recognize you. … When you add the items again and/or login again, new cookies will be created.
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.
