Cookies are small text files that websites store on your computer or device to remember information about you and your browsing activity. They can be used to personalise your experience, remember your preferences, track your actions, and more.
While cookies serve a functional role in enhancing user experience on the web, their widespread use, particularly by third parties, poses profound risks to individual privacy and data security.
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In a bid to address such concerns, Google announced in 2020 its intention to eliminate third-party cookies from its Chrome browser by 2022. This timeline was extended to 2024, with regulatory oversight from entities such as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority influencing the delay.
“The company’s first solution to third-party cookies was Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoCs), a technology developed from Google’s Privacy Sandbox that clusters large groups of people with similar interests and behaviours,” according to reports.
The FLoC proposal has now been replaced by a new technology known as the Topics API. The Topics Application Programming Interface (API) uses the Chrome browser to generate a list of topics, such as sports, fitness, or travel, that represent the user’s top interests for the week based on their browsing history.
Why you should be cautious of accepting a cookie
The common pop-up “This website uses cookies to enhance your experience” often leads users to click ‘Accept’ out of reflex. However, doing this without understanding what type of cookies are involved can compromise users’ privacy in less obvious ways.
According to Umanhonlen Gabriel, analyst, information security at First Bank of Nigeria Headquarters, people should be wary of accepting cookies and should spend time reading the cookie and privacy policy. “They will be shocked to see certain things,” Gabriel said.
The key concerns include tracking without consent, where data may be shared with unknown third parties. Also, browsing habits can be pieced together to create detailed personal profiles. There is also targeted advertising where users start receiving intrusive and persistent ads based on their web activity. Poorly secured cookies can also be exploited by hackers to access private accounts.
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How to avoid privacy compromise
To preserve privacy and minimise exposure, users should avoid accepting cookies while connected to public Wi-Fi. Also, regularly clearing cookies from the browser and declining cookies on unfamiliar or untrusted websites can go a long way.
According to experts, users can leverage privacy-focused browsers or extensions that block third-party trackers and enable ‘Do Not Track’ settings where available.
