Explained: What Are Website Cookies & How They Work

Have you noticed the pop-ups to accept cookies when you visit a website? Do you know how they work? We will explain.

Cookies are small files, websites store on your device to remember things like your login info, preferences, and settings. Sounds helpful, right?

But some cookies go even further and track your behaviour for advertisements and other purposes.

While this may sound alarming, let us not worry and focus on the good cookies.

Types of cookies

There are two types of cookies you need to know about: first-party cookies. Some of these are session cookies, which disappear when you leave.

And others are persistent cookies, which stick around and remember you for your next visit, so you don’t have to enter your details again. Both of these make your browsing smoother.

The second type of cookies is trickier - they are known as third-party cookies. They follow you from site to site, collecting data and following your entire digital footprint. Let us not get scared about this but rather stay educated about their functions.

So, the next time you're asked to accept cookies, think of them like this: first-party cookies are your helpful friends, and third-party cookies are the strangers.

Enjoy the good cookies that enhance your experience, but stay informed about the rest.