What are Cookies?
                     What are Cookies?
Yash Kumar
Writes for search-marketing.in, 
provides information on 
Digital marketing in india to improve 
Digital marketing strategies.
Cookies create a profile of your surfing habits. Basically a cookie is a 
file containing alphabets and numbers. When you open a website 
containing cookie through your browser it gets downloaded on your 
computer. Once downloaded it opens the memory of the browser and 
helps the website recognise you whenever you revisit the website.
 
Broadly There are Two Types of Cookies:
Session cookies: When you visit a website, these cookies are created 
in the sub-folder of your browser. Once you finish your work with 
the website and your session with the website is over the cookies are 
deleted. Session cookies are stored in a temporary memory and are 
immediately deleted the moment you close the browser. They are 
used to pass information about the session and do not store 
information about the user.
Persistent cookies: They remain in your browser even after your 
session with the website is over. They become active again when you 
re-visit the same website. However there is an expiration date set for 
the persistent cookies on which it expires. However the user can 
delete these cookies whenever he wants. They are used to get 
information about user behaviour or user’s preferences based on his 
browsing history.
A website has no other alternative to access information on your 
computer other than the cookie which it places on the browser’s 
folder. Cookie files have proved to be harmless so far. But they can 
be used to track all the browsing history of the user through its 
browser. Users have the option to limit the ability of the cookies by 
changing the settings of the browser. Cookie is a non-executable 
code which can only be used by the website that created it.
The main purpose of the cookies is to distinguish the user and based 
on his browsing history customize the web pages and thus increasing 
the usability of the website. A web server has no memory and it 
makes use of the cookie to store information about the user.
Cookies are generally considered safe and do not compromise 
security. But the cases with malicious cookies are becoming more 
common. These malicious cookies are used to track your online 
activities. By tracking your surfing habits they create user’s profile 
which can be sold to a third party which can be an advertising 
company. Antivirus software can detect such cookies as potential 
spyware.
First Party Cookies
You will come across this term while choosing privacy settings for 
your browser. First party cookies mean the cookies from the websites 
that you are currently browsing. It will store and track information 
about this particular website only.
Third Party Cookies
Unlike first party cookies they do not originate from the website that 
you are browsing and store information about your browsing history 
to send it a website that you are not browsing or viewing.
What cookies don’t do
Cookies are simple text files which are non-executable. They cannot 
track or store information from your computer’s hard disk. Cookies 
role is limited to the browser so that your preferences about 
webpages, shopping carts and other such features are submitted to the 
website. Your personal information stored on your hard disk cannot 
be accessed by the cookies.
Cookies for Mobile phones
Mobile phones make use of apps. Cookies, in order to serve the same 
purpose that they served in desktop environment should operate in 
these apps. In desktop environment the user may use various 
Operating Systems like Windows, Mac OS and Linux. But cookies 
make the best use of the browser and thus having a common 
environment. Mobile environment presents a challenge because 
mobile phones come with different OSs and the browsers. Browsers 
play different ‘sandboxes’ from apps on the same devices. For those 
who are new to this term called as ‘ sandbox’ can simply understand 
it as wrapping of apps through security policies so that outside 
influence cannot affect the apps. So our modest cookies face the 
challenge to identify user in the case of mobile phones.
About Search-marketing 
Search-marketing.in website is a useful resource which caters to 
micro businesses on developments in digital marketing in India. It 
provides information on digital marketing strategies and helps Indian 
micro businesses to establish strong online presence and to leverage 
the Internet for business performance and growth.
Thank you for your time in reading this article!