Ever wondered how an online deal that you checked a while ago on your smartphone popped up again when visiting your social media page? But how do companies know about your choices? The answer is third-party cookies. Learn more about them and what you can do to save yourself.
Third-Party Cookies: What Are They?
Typically, third-party cookies are pieces of code that your devices store for future reference. The cookie acts like a middleman between the website that created it and the one that you are visiting now. A third-party cookie comes from a third-party domain. Keep in mind that it does not come from websites that you browse. Third-party cookies load different types of sections on a website. These ads and other elements might include a ‘Like’ button or a chat window. Whenever a section pops up, the website sends a special request to a specific third-party server. They assign a cookie to the user. Advertisement service agencies use cookies to gather data and send targeted ads to users.
However, there is a difference between a first-party cookie and a third-party cookie. First-party cookies are not annoying because they come from websites you visit. They monitor your activities and store information for better user experience. Some examples include auto fill-up, saved shopping cart, fast browsing, etc. Your information does not go to random websites that you visit.
Third-Party Cookies: How They Work
Let’s understand how a third-party cookie works. When you visit a website that sells laptops, a third-party ad provider embeds cookies in it. The advertisement provider sets specific cookies that belong to that domain on your devices. If you go to another website that sells tablet PCs, you will see ads for laptops by the cookie on that website.
What just happened is that the cookies monitored your browsing behavior and sent the same to the advertisement provider. The provider then used the information to send you a targeted advertisement. Hence, the more websites you visit of a similar nature, the more data advertisement provider gets about your online activities.
Most websites now require to notify users about cookies. However, some websites will not tell you the type of cookies used. For example, super cookies could use your data to their advantage. As a result, third-party cookies track users’ activities without their consent. You can find out by going through the development options in a browser. It will show you the exact codes used for the websites. You can access the code through the browser’s settings or menu.
If you are using Chrome, click the three dots you see in the top-right. Navigate to ‘More Tools’ and then ‘Developer Tools’.
Select the ‘Application’ option. If it is not available, click the arrows and choose the option from the drop-down menu.
Navigate to the option that says ‘Cookies’ and click on it. You will find the list of cookies that the website has. Now, the cookies that do not have website domain names are considered third-party cookies.
What makes Websites Use Third-Party Cookies?
One of the main sources of generating online revenue for advertisers and content creators is through third-party cookies. The websites are paid to store the cookies and the ad providers receive a considerable amount of information about the users. The possibilities for targeted ads increase resulting in more profits.
GDPR, a data protection policy, requires transparency when handling personal data. Because of GDPR, third-party cookies have become a controversial tool for advertisement. These days, most ad blockers and browsers have robust tools to counter cookies. Although advertisers constantly work on strategies to bypass ad blockers, implementing ethical cookies is becoming more difficult.
Third-Party Cookies: How to Block Them
Before knowing how to avoid third-party cookies, let’s discuss why you should block them in the first place.
- A third-party cookie gathers plenty of data about the user’s browsing habits. It breaches online privacy and security.
- Hackers can take advantage of the cookies by implementing cross-site scripting attacks. If you disable cookies, it stores limited information for hackers.
- Cookies clutter your web browser. You get a slow response and a less functional website.
However, you can delete existing cookies by going to your browser’s settings. You may find an option that says “Delete Cookies”, or “Clear Cookies or Cache” or something similar.
Keep in mind that deleting cookies might delete the right ones that tend to improve your browsing experience. As such, some websites require you to type your credentials again. Also, some sites might take more time than usual to load. Still, it’s a small price for you to pay in terms of online privacy and security.
Many ad blockers and browsers come with cookie-blocking features, too. It prevents websites from injecting more cookies into your web browser. You may find this option in your browser’s preferences or settings menu. Next, find security and privacy settings and select an option called ‘Block Third-Party Cookies’ or another similar option.
