“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 😉
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.