Cookies - first and third party cookies and their uses

Cookies are small text files that a web server sends to the web browser to keep track of the visitor's activity on the site. Some cookies expire as soon as the visitor session ends - these are known as session cookies - but persistent cookies are stored on the visitor's hard drive so that if the visitor returns to the web site that set the cookie, the information it stored can be retrieved. This is how a website recognises a returning visitor. Two major uses of cookies are in collecting web analytics data and in shopping carts. Cookies are used by the site to 'remember' what is in your shopping cart so that it can transfer it to the next stage in the buying process.

 

Cookies for use in web analytics and in improving the functionality of website (eg in shopping carts) are first party cookies - that is they are set by the site being visited.

 

Another use of cookies is in collecting information that can be used by online advertisers. Here the cookie is transmitted by the advertising distributor and collects information about which choices are made on the site you are visiting; these preferences are then fed back to the advertising distributor so that advertising selected to fit the preferences you chose can be delivered when you visit other sites within the advertising distributor's program. So if an advertising network sees that you frequently visit sites on golf then it can serve you ads related to golf on other websites.

These are third party cookies - because they are not set by site you are visiting - and are seen as throwing up more of a privacy issue.

 

Cookies can always be deleted from your computer at any time by clicking on Tools, Options, Security (Firefox). Cookies are not malicious and cannot act maliciously on computer systems. Information collected by a cookie can only be retrieved by the website that set it - this is a security feature that is built into all known browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari etc.

 

First party cookies allow website to provide greatly enhanced functionality to their users - ranging from enabling shopping carts to operate to remembering passwords and logins (a real aid to ease of use!). There is no danger to the computer system and in my view, any privacy issues are very limited. An off line equivalent is the local coffee shop remembering how you like your coffee.

 

There is more of an issue with third party cookies. Again there is no danger to the computer system but information about the preferences chosen on a website are passed without the users knowledge to a third party for the purpose of improving advertising revenue. There is an argument that, to a large degree, it is advertising that keeps so much of the information available on the internet free and any small invasion of privacy is well worth it. It's and interesting debate.