What is a Cookie? Comprehensive Guide to Internet Cookies: Types, Importance and Privacy

The “Accept Cookies” warning you encounter while browsing the internet has now become part of a daily routine. So, what lies behind this button you click? These small text files that allow a website to remember and personalize your browsing experience, a.k.a. cookiesis one of the invisible but most important elements of the digital world.

Well, What is a cookie, how does it work, what types are there and what does it mean for your privacy on the internet? In this comprehensive guide, we will examine in detail all the curiosities, from the technical nature of internet cookies, to the benefits it offers, from privacy discussions to its future.

What is a Cookie?

Cookie (Cookie)is a small text file that a website saves to your computer or mobile device through your browser. This file is sent back to the server by your browser the next time you visit the site, allowing it to remember information about you. Cookies are a kind of “memory” of websites and are used to get to know you, remember your preferences and facilitate your browsing experience.

Important note: Cookies are not programs or viruses. They are just text files and cannot run code. They will not be able to access the data on your computer or steal your passwords.

How Cookies Work

A website “remembers” you takes three basic steps:

1. Server Sends Cookies: When you visit a website for the first time, server sends a cookie with a unique identifier (ID) to your browser.
2. Browser Saves Cookie: Your browser saves this cookie on your computer's hard drive.
3. Browser Sends Back Cookie: When you visit the same site again, your browser automatically sends the cookie it saved back to the server. The server remembers who you are and your past preferences thanks to the unique ID in this cookie.

Main Tasks and Benefits of Internet Cookies

Cookies form the basis for the web to deliver a modern and personalized experience. The most important tasks are:

• Improving User Experience: Remembers your login information, products in your shopping cart, or language settings, eliminating the need to re-enter that information every time you visit.
• Personalization: It offers you tailored recommendations based on the content or products you view. For example, when you visit a book site, it is thanks to cookies that it suggests similar books to you.
• Session Management: On sites that require secure sessions, such as online banking or email, it ensures that your session remains open and you do not log in again on each page.
• Advertising and Analytics: Through cookies, marketers can create more targeted and effective advertising campaigns by tracking which sites users visit and which ads they click on. In addition, website owners use cookies to analyze site traffic with tools such as Google Analytics.

What are the types of cookies?

Cookies are divided into different types according to their function and how they are created:

• First-Party Cookies: It is created directly by the website you are visiting and can only be read by that site. These cookies remember your session information or your site preferences. It is usually safe and used to improve the user experience.
• Third-Party Cookies: It is not created by the website itself, but by another domain (such as an advertising network or social media platform) located within that site. These cookies, by tracking users on different sites Targeted advertising provides the creation of profiles for. Third-party cookies are at the heart of privacy concerns.
• Session Cookies: They are temporary cookies that are deleted as soon as you close your browser. It is often used for short-term tasks such as storing items in your online shopping cart.
• Persistent Cookies: They are cookies that remain on your computer for a predetermined period of time. It is used for functions such as remembering your login information or storing your language settings.

Cookies and Privacy: KVKK, GDPR and the Future

Internet cookies have led to significant privacy concerns due to the use of personal data for tracking and advertising purposes. In order to address these concerns, legal regulations have been introduced around the world:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): This regulation, which comes into force in the European Union, obliges websites to obtain clear, informed and precise consent to collect user cookies.
• KVKK (Personal Data Protection Act): It is the equivalent law in Turkey. This law establishes clear rules for the protection and processing of personal data.

Due to these legal regulations, you will now see a “cookie banner” or pop-up for you to accept cookies on most websites. This banner should clearly indicate which cookies are collected and for what purpose they are used.

The Future of Cookies: A 'Cookie-Free' World

Major browsers such as Google Chrome have decided to completely remove third-party cookies in an effort to protect user privacy. This brings about a major change in the advertising and marketing industry. In the future, advertisers will need to develop alternative technologies to cookies to track users.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the use of deleting cookies?

Deleting cookies prevents websites from recognizing you, clears your saved session information, and can help your browser run faster. However, this process requires you to log in to each site again or reconfigure your settings.

Should I accept cookies?

First party cookies are needed for most websites to work. However, you may choose to reject them as third-party cookies are used for ad tracking purposes.

Are cookies a virus?

No, because cookies are text files, they do not contain viruses or malware.

Conclusion: Recognize Cookies for Conscious Internet Use

Cookies is the basis for the internet to deliver a personalised and seamless experience. On the one hand, they facilitate the functioning of websites, on the other hand, they raise important questions about user privacy.

Knowing the types of cookies, how they work and what legal rights you have is vital for you to have both a safer and more informed internet experience. Whether or not to accept cookies is now an opportunity for you to have full control over your digital footprint, rather than an option offered to you.