Description: Web cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user’s computer by the web browser while browsing a website. These cookies allow websites to remember information about the user’s visit, such as preferences, shopping cart contents, or login status. Each time the user returns to the same site, the browser sends the cookies back to the server, enabling a more personalized and efficient browsing experience. Cookies can be session-based, which are deleted when the browser is closed, or persistent, which remain on the device for a specified period. While cookies are useful for enhancing user experience, they also raise privacy and data protection concerns, as they can be used to track users’ online behavior across different websites. For this reason, cookie regulations have become important, leading to the implementation of laws requiring user consent before their use.
History: Web cookies were introduced by Lou Montulli in 1994 while working for Netscape. The original idea was to allow websites to remember information about users, facilitating navigation and enhancing user experience. Since then, cookies have evolved, and their use has expanded to various applications, from content personalization to targeted advertising. As privacy concerns have grown, regulations such as GDPR in Europe have been implemented, requiring websites to obtain user consent for cookie use.
Uses: Cookies are primarily used to enhance the online user experience. They allow websites to remember preferences, keep user sessions active, and personalize content. They are also essential for web analytics tracking, enabling site owners to understand user behavior and optimize their platforms. In advertising, cookies allow for ad targeting, showing relevant content to users based on their browsing history.
Examples: A practical example of cookies is the use of a session cookie on an e-commerce site, which remembers the items a user has added to their cart while browsing. Another example is the use of persistent cookies to remember a user’s language preferences on a website, so that the next time they visit, the content is displayed in their preferred language.
