Most of us love cookies, especially fresh from the oven.
But not "third-party cookies," which are one of the primary ways businesses track you online.
So if you are worried about your privacy, many sites now allow you to turn off cookies as you browse and shop.
But internet security expert Dave Hatter of Intrust IT Security said many cookies are good, or else you would have to log in to your favorite websites constantly.
"If you block all cookies, you are going to have all kinds of problems," he said. "Many websites will not work at all."
"Without cookies, every single time you would do something, it would require you to authenticate and log in again," Hatter said.
But he said cookies may track your location or other information on random entertainment sites.
"Like so many things it kind of spun out of control and you see cookies used for nefarious purposes," Hatter said.
Google cracking down on widespread use of cookies
Thomas Germain is a tech report with Gizmodo.
He said Google is on a cookie-killing spree, disabling cookies for 30 million Chrome users at the start of the year.
"It is a really significant privacy improvement," Germain said. "Although Google is just replacing cookies with a different technology that tracks you in a slightly more private way.”
He said Google’s plan will also turn the business model of the internet on its head.
"There are going to be massive ripple effects for the ways that all of these different internet-based companies make money," he said.
It’s important to remember we’re talking about third-party cookies.
First-party cookies remember things like log-in information or what you have in your shopping cart.
So Dave Hatter said don't block all cookies.
"The better approach generally is to block third-party cookies," he said.
For now, you can block third-party cookies by going to “settings” and “privacy and security” or using a different browser that doesn't allow cookies.
Or simply don't click that "accept" button.
That way you don't waste your money.
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