Have you ever looked at a pair of shoes on the internet and then started seeing ads about those shoes popping up everywhere? That’s the work of cookies.
The technology stores and tracks information between website visits and is widely used by companies to sell more targeted advertisements.
If you use Google Chrome, those ads will get a little less creepy.
Last week, Google disabled cookies for 30 million of its Chrome Browser users to better protect the privacy of its users.
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Google has been working on a way to eliminate the need for cookies in Chrome since 2020.
Major browser competitors, like Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox, began blocking cookies years ago.
The technology makes our lives easier by storing our preferences on the computer instead of a server.
However, it’s also a resource used by scam artists.
Steve Weisman is the editor of Scamicide.com.
“What they have done in the past is managed to, hack in and steal the information from these cookies ..which in turn enables them to do more specifically focused spear-phishing emails and other kinds of scams that prey upon areas where people may be inclined," he explained.
Instead of cookies, Google is rolling out "Privacy Sandbox"– an initiative that aims to create technologies that protect people’s privacy online.
All Chrome browser users by will have cookies blocked by the end of the year.
The best way to stay in control of your online security is knowing how to enable and disable cookies in your web browser.
You can also clear your browsing history or empty your browsing data to make sure your information isn’t being shared between websites.
If a website prompts you to accept cookies for a “better browsing experience,” best to decline or close the pop-up.
