A nifty invention in 1994, cookies are pieces of personal data created when Internet users browse websites. They underpin the way the Internet works, but their use has been a contentious subject in recent times.
Despite the alarming cookie pop-up notifications Internet users see today when visiting websites, cookies may not all be malicious.
Some are essential for authenticating logins and managing the personalisation of online engagements. For instance, “session” – also known as “first-party” – cookies are essential for recording items added to online shopping carts and keeping users logged in to websites.
Third-party cookies, however, may operate in the grey zone. They collect and track users’ Internet activities across multiple websites for delivering targeted advertisements.
The distinction between first- and third-party cookies has become increasingly crucial amid calls for greater digital autonomy and transparency.
Under European data laws, cookies which are not strictly necessary for basic website functions must be activated only after users give explicit consent to the collection of their personal data.
In Singapore, the Personal Data Protection Act adopts a similar position, requiring websites to seek consent for collecting Internet users’ personal data.
What are the risks associated with different types of cookies, and how can users better manage these risks?
1 IDENTIFY WHAT IS ESSENTIAL
First-party cookies such as session cookies are essential. Without session cookies, shopping carts would always be empty whenever users begin the check-out process.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 16, 2022-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 16, 2022-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
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