The internet has certainly evolved a lot of things. Not only has it impacted many people’s daily lives in a unique way possible, but it also has enabled people to stay connected. However, with the internet, there have been many complaints of website users and owners getting access to private information that should not be allowed in the first place. But this must be noted that nothing of sorts is done without the consent of the user. Whether or not the user chooses to acknowledge this fact or ignore it, that is another story on its own. Things like privacy and cookie policies allow users to access all the information required for them to understand what goes on behind the scenes whilst surfing the internet.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a chunk of important data that is very small in size but is very significant since it can track, store, and share important information. A cookie can be considered as one of the basic building blocks of the internet. Cookies have access to data that basically allows websites to absorb other important information and retain it in the long run, so the website is fully aware of some of the user’s preferences once the user visits the website again. In simple terms, a cookie is a sort of data mapping tools that allows websites to absorb and record information for further use. A cookie is one of the most important elements of the internet and one that has contributed majorly to the success of this technology.
What is a cookie policy?
A cookie policy is very similar to the privacy policy. In fact, mostly, the cookie policy is a part of the privacy policy, but this may not always be the case since many website owners display it as a separate document as well. This policy basically indicates the users that important information and data might sometimes be tracked by the websites to improve their user experience overall. The policy also allows the users to get access to information that guides them on how to opt-out of some of the important cookies if they feel that their information might be mishandled. The users can thus, change the type of cookies they access and can deliberately opt out of some of the cookies by changing the settings themselves.
What should a cookie policy include?
A cookie policy should ideally contain all the important information regarding the way the cookies of the specific website operates. It must also include all the ways, a user can opt-out of some of the cookies. A cookie policy should ideally contain everything that might provide consent to the user, so the user has no reason to complain if their information is being used to make their overall user experience much better and much more efficient in the short and long run as well. Lastly, the cookie policy should ideally include a list of all the parties that can install cookies directly through their websites.