Cookies are small text files, usually 4 kilobytes in size, which are stored on your computer’s hard drive from websites that you have visited. These text files contain small amounts of information that you submit when you access a website for the first time and complete a form asking for your identification and interests. Some cookies merely contain your computer’s information and do not contain any personal information. The companies who design websites use this information to create custom Web pages for you or track your interests for advertising purposes.
When you visit a website for the first time, the website’s server will send a cookie to your computer with the information you submitted to the website to be saved on your hard drive. The next time you visit that same website, your browser, for example Internet Explorer, will send the information back to the website’s server to let it know you have visited the site previously. With this information, the website will do one of two things. First, it will download faster. Second, a customized Web page welcoming you to the website instead of a generic Web page will open.
Some e-commerce companies like to use cookies to make customized Web pages for their customers to add a personal touch to the shopping experience. For example, if you use a shopping cart a cookie is created that lists the items you have selected. The next time you visit this website, the shopping cart will still contain a list of your items.
E-commerce companies also use cookies to create business for themselves and their partners through advertising. A cookie can let a company know what items you select or what links you click in search for products. This can generate revenue for a website helping them determine who to use as advertisers on their website. Advertisers, in turn, use a tactic known as third-party cookie practice in which they will collect information on your surfing habits to send spam and pop-ups to you.
Perhaps the worst use of cookies comes from pornographic and gambling websites. Visiting just one pornographic website will enable other sites to set cookies on your computer. This will enable these websites to flood your email will spam for more pornographic websites. Not only will spam fill your inbox, your system will become clogged with cookies resulting in a system slowdown. And, in some instances, unscrupulous people will use cookies to commit cookie theft or poisoned cookies to steal personal information or download viruses and Trojan horses that will infect your computer.Most cookies, however, are benign good-faith efforts to make Web-browsing a better experience. Cookies from legitimate websites are harmless and either expire at the end of your session or after a certain amount of time. Routinely clearing cookies from your browser (see the tech tip “Deleting Cookies”) and setting higher cookie preference (see the tech tip “Setting Cookie Preferences”) is the best way to prevent problems with cookies.
Send mail to help.desk@ctcd.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Central Texas College Information Technology Division
Telephone (254)501-3103
FAX (254)526-1950
P.O. Box 1800, Killeen, TX 76540-1800