“Do you allow Cookies?” Immediately I press on the bottom “Yes, Allow all Cookies”. Yesterday I had a discussion with my family about this tracker on our online activities. A lot of people see this as a privacy violation, even though secretly I love being traced. My algorithm is so well-designed for me that I get my perfect advertisement on my screen. Maybe it is scary that they know everything about me, but what do I have to hide?
What are cookies?
For people that don’t really understand what they are dealing with when they enter a website, I will briefly discuss what cookies are and if it is really that dangerous. To start, cookies are an important part of how the internet works today. They help websites remember things like your login details, shopping cart, and preferences, making your visit easier and more personalized. However, they can also collect a lot of personal information, which can be a risk to your privacy.
The information stored in cookies isn’t dangerous on its own — it can’t harm your device or spread malware. However, if someone with bad intentions gets ahold of your cookie data, they could potentially hijack your browsing sessions, steal personal details, or misuse the data in other harmful ways.
Are cookies dangerous?
Globally, the percentage of people who accept all cookies varies, but studies show that a significant portion of internet users tends to accept them without much thought. For instance, around 40% of people globally blindly accept cookies whenever a pop-up appears on a website, meaning they automatically agree to the data collection without investigating further. This figure is higher for younger generations, with nearly 47% of Gen Z users accepting cookies without reviewing the options.
Why does Gen Z accept cookies faster?
There are a few reasons why Gen Z accepts cookies faster in general. Many Gen Z individuals tend to value ease of use over concerns about privacy. In their fast-moving, multitasking online lives, they often view cookie notifications as an annoyance and prefer to accept them quickly in order to continue navigating websites without interruption. Also Gen Z has grown up using digital devices, making them very comfortable with technology. This familiarity often leads them to feel confident or indifferent about data privacy. Because they regularly engage with apps and websites that tailor their experiences using data, accepting cookies has become a normal part of their online routine, almost like a necessary step to improve their digital interactions. Many younger users might not completely grasp how cookies function or how they track personal data. While there’s a growing awareness of data privacy, the details of cookie tracking and the potential risks of data sharing may not be significant concerns for this generation. Research indicates that younger people generally care less about online privacy compared to older age groups.
I can relate to these three points: I am a bit impatient, I grew up with the internet and a little nonchalant when it comes to giving my personal information away. I saw a lot of sites saying cookies are harmless, but also the other way around. Either way, the internet probably already knows everything about me, so I have nothing to hide 😉
Source: IPVanish
Indeed! I sometimes feel that there’s absolutely no point in caring about that, after all, they’ve got my information a long time before I cared. But with the increasing number of internet scams, I’m thinking that maybe I should care? In the old days, maybe they would have just sent me annoying advertorial emails. And now? I don’t know anymore.
While I kind of agree that the convenience has to outweigh the ‘privacy violation’ of being tracked, which can result in making it much easier to traverse digital spaces. However, I also feel like the algorithm can immensely influence (and/or even manipulate) how I travel through (and experience) the digital world. Dogruel, Masur & Joeckel already stated that algorithmic operations can manipulate and even exploit users’ decision-making, which results in negatively affecting the “autonomy in navigating online environments” of users. They also mentioned that it is still challenging to know and/or understand “the degree to which algorithms are based on their own constantly evolving nature or (…) their context-dependency” due to the algorithms’ “mutual shaping with user interactions”.
Honestly, I don’t really mind being tracked in the digital world, but the main issue I have is how it can be used to (unbeknownst to me) guide me through a certain direction. Yes, I know that I can choose to ignore the algorithm and search for something new on my own, but due to the convenience, I will most probably not. As long as people are (kind of) aware of cookies, what happens to our data and how it can affect our travels through digital spaces, (and of course if it isn’t exploited) then we should be fine? Maybe?
Dogruel, Leyla, Philipp Masur, and Sven Joeckel. “Development and Validation of an Algorithm Literacy Scale for Internet Users.” Communication Methods and Measures 16, no. 2 (2022): 115–33. doi:10.1080/19312458.2021.1968361.
Very relatable topic! It’s interesting that many people, especially Gen Z like my little brother, value convenience over privacy and just accept cookies without a second thought. I wonder how much information he already shared without even knowing it. To be honest, I can also relate to being impatient and clicking “accept” to avoid interruptions, but most of the time I choose the simplest cookie out of all options. I agree with the part where cookies are useful when it comes to personalized algorithms, so youtube knows what kind of ads might be for me or Netflix knows what type of movies I like. So your point about the internet already knowing everything hits home. Sometimes it feels easier to just embrace it and enjoy the personalized experience.