Question

The use of cookies online is performed by virtually every website to gather information on prospective consumers. What are cookies, and what are the ethical ramifications of a company using them? Is Google’s “Incognito Mode” the way of the future?

Answer 1

Cookies are pieces of information generated by a Web server and stored in the user's computer, ready for future access. Cookies are embedded in the HTML information flowing back and forth between the user's computer and the servers. Many organizations use ``cookies'' to track your every move on their site. A cookie is a unique identifier that a web server places on your computer: a serial number for you personally that can be used to retrieve your records from their databases.

Any web site that knows your identity and has cookie for you could set up procedures to exchange their data with the companies that buy advertising space from them, synchronizing the cookies they both have on your computer. This possibility means that once your identity becomes known to a single company listed in your cookies file, any of the others might know who you are every time you visit their sites.

Incognito Mode or “private browsing” is a privacy feature on Google Chrome that actually disables the browsing history of the browser. This privacy mode allows people to browse the Web without storing local data that could potentially be retrieved at a later date.  Another positive of Incognito Mode is that when cookies and extensions are disabled, the chances of a malicious app trying to steal your personal data are largely reduced.

Even though Incognito Mode is slightly more private than using a regular browser window, it’s important to be aware of the limitations of browsing in an Incognito window.

Incognito Mode has both advantages and shortcomings. If a better version is developed, it will be beneficial for the users.