What is a 'tracking cookie'?

Question

Is it something to do with spyware.

Answer 1

Tracking cookies are small files that web sites use to track where you go on the internet. They're generally harmless, but you should still probably rid yourself of them regularly if you're concerned about the privacy issue.

If you're using Internet Explorer, you can set your cookie preferences under
Tools -> Internet Options -> Privacy (tab)

If you delete their folder, I'm pretty sure IE will just recreate it anyway.

Important Edit: Not all cookies are tracking cookies. If you block all cookies, some web functionality will be blocked to you. For instance, Short-Media uses a cookie to keep you logged in between visits. This type of cookie just stores information about your login here that is only accessible by this site and doesn't do anything else (e.g. it does not 'track' you or do anything else you wouldn't want it to do). If you block all cookies, you would not be able to stay logged in here between browser sessions. This applies to most other sites you log in to as well.

Answer 2

The definition of spyware is: A software program or file which tracts your serfing habits across the net.

As tracking cookies do exactly that, then by definition they are spyware, though a very small form of it at best.

However, when we allow websites to track our serfing habits these websites can slowly compile a much larger picture of who we are and where we live. If we leave these types of cookies on our hard drives, which are where they are stored, then slowly, over time, the website gathers data about us which allows them to compile a profile of who we are. They then can sell this to others who target ads to us, ads which are tailors to our likes and dislikes.

For me, this is very invasive and so I use a small free utility to manage my cookies. I use my browser plus this program called CCleaner, which is also a disk clean tool, a Registry cleaner, a software removal manager which works much better than the Windows Add/Remove applet, and a Startup manger which allows users to control which programs are loaded at startups. This is a very small but powrful utility and as I said it is free. You can get it here:

http://www.cnet.com/downloads

Put CCleaner in the search box and the top right of the page, click on the link, read reviews and if you wish, download and install, Once you have it installed follow the link to the page which shows how to use it. Itis very easy to use and safe.

The Cookie Manager portion allows you to keep the cookies which allow you to logon to sites you have a user account for and delete any you don't wish to keep. This is much better than the browser cookie handling, but I use them in conjunction with each other.

Answer 3

No spyware. They just track what you do in a web page then that way they modify the page to your needs when you go to the page. You can delete the cookies. Or eat them.

Answer 4

Tracking cookies are small files that web sites use to track where you go on the internet. They're generally harmless, but you should still probably rid yourself of them regularly if you're concerned about the privacy issue.
Hope This Answers Your Question
Amy
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Answer 5

Check Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie

Answer 6

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