Cyber Safety: The Internet Cookie Monster

What do you think of when you hear the word "cookie?"  Is is chocolate chip, oatmeal or peanut butter?  You computer is a cookie monster, too!  So, what is a computer cookie and why do we need to be aware of how they are used?

Computer Cookie:  a small data file that is saved on your computer

How Cookies are used:  Browsers use cookies to save information related to a webpage.

Examples:
1.  Do you have a username and password saved on a website - that is a cookie
2.  Do you like to shop online and place items in an "shopping basket" - that is a cookie
3.  Do you have have a weather app on your computer desktop set to "Brenham" - that is a cookie

As you can see, some cookies are helpful and allow websites to serve our needs.  Other times, cookies are used to track our internet search and viewing habits, so online ads are geared to our preferences.  You can delete these cookies within your browser options.

Watch the video below for more information regarding cookies.

Comments