Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch
Here is a question and answer from the FAQ section of one of my favorite websites that I often visit:
Q: Do you put cookies on my computer?
A: Not very often. Sometimes a section of my site will not operate without a cookie. When I do that, I usually use chocolate chip cookies.
Since the passing of the ePrivacy Directive (commonly known as the EU Cookie Law), many websites greet you with a big pop-up window telling us how important our privacy is to them. To continue viewing, we have to accept cookies. Actually, we don’t have to accept cookies. Of course, if we don’t, we might not have an optimal experience on the site.
Cookies are just small information files that are stored on your computer. When you return to the site, the files are read and you theoretically have the same experience as your previous visit. The problem is with cookies that are placed by third parties. These are almost always from advertisers. They can be read by other parties and are often used to track you across different web sites.
What can we do about cookies? In your web browser settings, you can block all cookies. Unfortunately, doing so might cause websites not to work as designed. Almost all web browsers block third party cookies by default. If not you should enable the setting.
You could also do what I do. Add a cookie manager browser extension. If you search in the browser add-ons store, you will find many cookie managers. It should not be too hard to find one that works for you.
The one I use and can recommend is “Cookie Remover” uploaded by Adam. It is a simple extension that does one thing. When you click on the icon in your browser tool bar, all of the site cookies are instantly removed. It is available for all browsers. Over the years, I’ve developed the habit of clicking the icon before I close the tab. It works for me.
That’s all for this month. I think I’ll go have a cup of coffee and some cookies.
Thanks for reading.