Photo by As a frequent internet user, I’m sure you’ve come across the ‘cookie banner’ many times before. It’s that annoying popup that asks you to accept cookies on almost every website you visit. But have you ever stopped to think about what cookies actually are and why they’re so important? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at cookies and what they do, as well as explore some of the concerns surrounding their use.
Concerns surrounding online privacy have never been greater
So, what are cookies? In simple terms, cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on your device. They’re used to track your browsing history and behaviour, allowing websites to personalise your experience and deliver targeted advertising.
Cookies allow websites to track your browsing history
For example, if you visit an e-commerce website and look at a few different products, cookies can help the website to remember which products you’ve looked at. This allows the website to suggest similar products that you might be interested in.
But cookies aren’t just used for harmless things like personalising your browsing experience. They can also be used to collect sensitive information about you, such as your IP address and location.
Tracking cookies can collect sensitive information about you
This is why some people are concerned about the use of cookies. They can be used to track your movements online and build up a detailed picture of your browsing habits. This information can then be used to deliver targeted advertising, which some people find intrusive.
So, what can you do to protect yourself from cookies? The good news is that most browsers allow you to block cookies or limit their use. You can also use browser extensions to block tracking cookies and protect your online privacy.
Protecting your online privacy is more important than ever
But what about websites that require you to accept cookies in order to use their services? This is where things can get tricky. While you may be able to block cookies on some websites, others may require you to accept them in order to use their services.
For example, if you’re trying to log in to a website that uses cookies to authenticate users, you may need to accept cookies in order to access the website. In this case, you can use the website’s ‘datenschutzeinstellungen’ (data protection settings) to limit the use of cookies.
Some websites allow you to limit the use of cookies
Ultimately, the decision to accept cookies or not is up to you. While they can be useful for personalising your browsing experience, they can also be used to collect sensitive information about you. By being aware of the potential risks and taking steps to protect yourself, you can help to keep your online privacy safe.
As the company behind the Yahoo brand, we understand the importance of online privacy. That’s why we offer our users the ability to manage their cookie settings and limit the use of cookies on our websites. We also provide information on our data protection policies and cookie policies, so that you can make informed decisions about your online privacy.
