Que Son los Cookies y Para Que Sirven

Summary

This video explains the concept of cookies on the internet, starting with their original function of remembering basic preferences like language settings. It then explores how cookies have evolved to store more personal data, enabling marketers to track users across websites. Third-party cookies, used for targeted ads and retargeting, are discussed in detail, showing how they follow users across the web. The video emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of website creators in handling user data and concludes that cookies themselves are neutral tools, with the impact depending on how they are used.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cookies are small files that store information about your preferences and activities on websites.
• 😀 Cookies were originally created to remember simple preferences, like language settings, but now can store a variety of data.
• 😀 A website can use cookies to remember your language choice, so you don't have to select it every time you visit.
• 😀 Cookies can store information like the date and time you visited a site, items in your shopping cart, and even the links you clicked.
• 😀 The information stored in cookies is essentially a trail of your activity on a site, similar to breadcrumbs.
• 😀 Only the website that created a cookie can access and read the cookie it generated, preventing other sites from reading your data.
• 😀 Over time, cookies have evolved, and their data storage capabilities have increased to include more detailed personal information.
• 😀 Cookies are often used for marketing purposes, helping developers track user behavior and target ads more effectively.
• 😀 With third-party cookies, other websites can place code on a site to collect your information and track your activity across different sites.
• 😀 Retargeting allows advertisers to follow you with personalized ads based on the data collected through cookies, even as you browse different websites.
• 😀 The use of cookies itself is not inherently bad; it depends on how developers handle and use the data they collect from users.

Q & A

What are cookies on the internet?

Cookies are small documents stored on your computer that contain useful information about you and your preferences, such as language or items in a shopping cart.

What is the purpose of a cookie?

The primary purpose of a cookie is to remember user preferences and improve website functionality, such as remembering language settings, so users don’t need to repeat the process on future visits.

Can cookies store a wide range of information?

Yes, cookies can store various types of information, including browsing history, the date and time of visits, and even items added to shopping carts on e-commerce sites.

Do cookies have a limited scope of accessibility?

Yes, cookies can only be read by the website that generated them. Other websites cannot access cookies from different sites.

How has the use of cookies evolved over time?

Initially, cookies were simple and only stored basic preferences like language settings. Over time, they have evolved to store much more detailed information, such as user behaviors and preferences, making them valuable for marketing and personalized advertising.

What is the role of a cookie ID?

A cookie ID serves as a unique identifier for a user’s browser, which allows websites to recognize and track the user across visits and sessions, linking the ID to more complex data stored on the website's servers.

What are third-party cookies?

Third-party cookies are cookies placed by a different entity than the website you are currently visiting. These are often used for tracking user activity across various websites for purposes like targeted advertising.

How do third-party cookies affect my browsing experience?

Third-party cookies enable advertisers and other external entities to track your browsing activity across different sites, allowing them to display personalized ads or retarget you with specific content based on your previous interactions.

What is retargeting in the context of cookies?

Retargeting is a form of online advertising where cookies are used to track users' browsing behavior. Advertisers then show targeted ads based on the user’s previous actions on different websites, such as showing products related to previous searches or purchases.

Are cookies inherently bad or dangerous?

Cookies themselves are not inherently bad or dangerous. They are tools used to improve website functionality and enhance user experience. However, how they are used—particularly in collecting personal data for marketing purposes—can raise privacy concerns depending on the website’s practices.