Essay on Internet Privacy - Cookies and Privacy on the Internet

Cookies covert on the Internet? Today, many web identifys on the internet can use cookies to keep underwrite of passwords and usernames and track the sites a particular user examines (Cookiecentral.com). But, the use of cookies to track users browsing habits is becoming a concern of many internet users. These concerned people are root system to think of cookies as an invasion of privacy. Companies with web sites can use cookies to track what sites you visit frequently and then select specific ad banners to radiate to you on the web while surfing (Cookiecentral.com). Electronic Frontier Foundations schedule director, Stanton McCandlish points out, The potential problem is that companies without a sense of ethics could be doing the selfsame(prenominal) thing and selling addresses to offline marketers (news.cnet.com). The government should realize the hazards of internet cookies and enforce a ban on their use. For those non familiar with the internet type of cookie, http//ww w.cookiecentral.com/ provides the description of a cookie and some of the ways they are used. The site states, a cookie is a small piece of information sent by a web server to store on a web browser so it can later be read back from that browser. When you visit a cookie-using site on the web, that site will save a small text rouse in your browsers folder or directory. This file will tell them who you are if you ever visit their site again. The site goes on to explain in more detail the different areas where a cookie can be used. The various tasks that can be performed by a cookie listed include online ordering, targeted marketing, user IDs, and site personalization. It is true that in that respect are some beneficial uses of cookies. For example, personalizing a certain ... ... sites cookies, these sites will not gain anything from you. If everyone were to stop allowing cookies on their personal computers, web sites would find that cookies do not benefit their business and woul d possibly stop using them. make out others about any concerns you may have regarding cookies. You may educate psyche about cookies that knew nothing before and help him or her understand why cookies are not an essential part of the internet. Works Cited Cookies. <http//www.cookiecentral.com /news/0-1003-200-327461.html> (31 Oct. 1999). Privacy in the Digital Age. Jerry Bermans Testimony. <http//www.cdt.org/testimony/Berman.test.House.5.27.99.shtml> (31 Oct. 1999). Shaking the Cookie Jar. bare-assed Cookie Technology or Existing Cookie Technology beneath Attack. <http//www.cookiecentral.com/dscprop.htm> (31 Oct. 1999).