We're talking about computers, here, not about recipes. If you have ever used the Internet, there is every chance that 'cookies' reside on the hard drive in your machine.
"Cookies" seem to come in two varieties. We'll call one "Cookies-In" and the other "Cookies-Out." What's the difference and why should you care? Bear with me, and I'll try to keep the explanation simple.
A computer "cookie" is essentially a bit of software coding put onto your device that reports information about your computer to someone else. Most often, you are probably unaware that this coding has been installed or that it is operating. "Cookies" can slow your machine if there are enough of them, but they are usually not particularly noticeable.
Okay, so "cookies" report information about your computer to someone else. In some cases, the reporting is useful to you. When, for example, I do my banking on the Internet, the website of the institution I use wants to know, first, the number of my account and, second, my password. Trying to keep track of passwords is a subject all by itself, but I surely don't want to have to remember and enter the 16-digit account number every time I check my account or perform a transaction.
Major web sites nowadays will let you save your account number and your password on your computer so that you do not need to enter the information every time you try to access the web site. In my case, I save the account number only - not my password. If someone else uses my computer, they can get to the homepage of my bank and they will have my account number, but without my password, that's as far as they will get. And, for me, I don't have to remember that 16-digit account number when I do my online banking.
This is a case of what I want to call a "Cookie-In." The "cookie" is helpful to me. I want the convenience it provides, and I do not mind that when I use the web site, my computer is automatically reporting my account number to the bank. Unfortunately, not all "cookies," are so benign.
Many web sites employ "cookies" to report to someone else your use of the Internet. The specific information that is gathered on your usage can vary from one "cookie" service to another. For me, however, it is enough that a "cookie" has been installed on my machine without my permission and any information is being reported to someone else about how I use it. These types of "cookies," ones that do not particularly benefit me and are of greater benefit to someone else, bother me greatly. They are the types of "cookies" that I want to call "Cookie-Outs."
Web site providers that use "Cookie-out" services seem to argue that we can all benefit from the information that they collect. They can target ads that will appeal to particular populations. They can design ads to be more appealing. They can decide what products to promote and which to drop, and so forth. These arguments all support the concept of commerce. Where you might stand on the issues of commerce is unknown to me. Where I stand, however, is that the Internet ought not to be simply another vehicle for commercial enterprises to find better ways to entice me to part with the 'almighty buck.'
I have the expectation that I am not alone. I am reconciled to the idea that the Internet will have advertisements. I even believe that some level of commercialism is beneficial, supporting efforts to bring more and more information to the Internet. I do not, though, want my computer usage monitored and I especially do not want it monitored without my permission. There is, of course, no reason why a "Cookie-Out" could not announce that it will be loaded, that it will gather X, Y, and Z information, and do you grant your permission, yes or no, to it continuing. It's not done, most likely because a lot of folks like you and me would answer no, skewing the statistical results of the information that they try to gather.
So, what can you do about "Cookies-Out?" The answer is that you can, in fact, get rid of a lot of "Cookies-Out," even if it looks as though it will be an ongoing battle until something more global is done about the problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment