The title of this column happened to be something that I was just asked while researching this very topic. That’s because in today’s current era, “cookies” and terms of agreements have become a normal part of life for most. You can’t open a new website without being asked a dozen questions about your data. If you’re like me, this might scare you a little. I’m thinking; how many websites have my data? Should I be worried? So my paranoia took hold of me and I did some research. To start, your data is facts and information about your history online. For example things like your browser history, personal information such as your name or email and your overall preferences online. Do you ever feel like your phone is listening to you? Well, it probably is! Have you ever had a conversation with someone and then seen ads all over your phone about the thing you were talking about? That’s your phone collecting data about you, pretty creepy right?
According to the Pew Research Center, 79 percent of Americans are concerned about how their data is being used online and six out of 10 Americans say it’s impossible to go through life without their data being collected. The scary thing is that these statistics aren’t just paranoia. Companies are collecting your data everyday and it’s sometimes hard to say what for. Facebook, a very popular social media platform owned by Mark Zuckerberg, was accused of data mining its users (analyzing large databases to find patterns). Facebook was taking information such as name, age, relationship status, address etc. and selling it to advertisers, making $40.6 billion annually according to the New York Times. It’s sickening how much money they’re making with our information, it’s also terrifying what could be done with it. Imagine what could happen if something like your social security number or your credit card information got into the wrong hands.
Here’s what to know the next time you get offered some cookies. First, check to see if they use first or third party cookies. First party cookies are generally considered safer, they are the bare minimum that are specifically set by the website. Third party cookies are what you should be more concerned about. They are created by other websites and are commonly used for advertising purposes. It’s also very important to know that you can always decline cookies due to rules like General Data Protection Regulation, although the website might not function as smoothly without them. I know that none of us want to read through all the terms and agreements before accepting so as a rule of thumb I would say always decline when you can. Just remember, in a world of endless online opportunities, it’s important to think about the impact of what you click on.