Think Hansel and Gretel ...

...the fairy tale about two children. They were able to mark their trail through a dark forest by dropping cookie crumbs behind them.

Actually, that is one of a few theories about where the name came from, so nobody knows for sure, but it is my favourite.

They were first introduced waaaay back in 1994 by Lou Montulli, a programmer at Netscape (the first decent web browser to exist).

They are used in a web browser to remember things about you - for good or evil. Here is an example of how it works :

The Theatre Cloakroom Example

Imagine you go to a theatre and want to check in your coat:

• Checking in: You give the attendant your coat. They don't know who you are, and they don't want to follow you around the museum to make sure you get your coat back later.
• The Cookie: Instead, they hand you a numbered plastic ticket. This ticket is the "Cookie."
• Storage: You put that ticket in your pocket. You are now "carrying" your identity.
• Retrieval: When you are ready to leave, you show the ticket. The ticket proves exactly which coat belongs to you, even if the attendant has never seen you before.

In the Digital World

Cookies are small text files that websites ask your browser to "hold onto." They help the site remember things like:

• If you are already logged in.
• What items are in your shopping cart.
• Your preferred settings (like Dark Mode).

Without cookies, a website would "forget" who you are every time you clicked a new link.

Until recently, any website could read any cookie set by any other website, which is Not Good, so Google et al are trying to stop that, here is how ...

What are "Third-Party Cookies"?

Using the theatre analogy: imagine a Marketing Agent stands inside the lobby. As you walk from the bar to the stalls or the balcony, they ask to see your cloakroom ticket. They write down where you’ve been so they can try to sell you a programme or a themed souvenir later.

In short:

• First-Party Cookies: Set by the website you are actually visiting (the theatre helping you with your coat).
• Third-Party Cookies: Set by a different company (like an advertiser) to track your behaviour across many different websites.

What are browsers doing about it?

Because third-party cookies allow companies to follow you around the internet without your clear permission, browsers are making big changes:

• Safari and Firefox: These browsers already block most third-party cookies by default to protect your privacy.
• Google Chrome: Chrome is currently phasing them out in favour of "Privacy Sandbox"—a new way for advertisers to show relevant ads without actually knowing exactly who you are or tracking your individual history.

The goal is a cookieless future where your identity isn't easily shared between different companies as you browse.

Google Analytics

All of the websites by Lilac Pixel use cookies to see how many visitors we get to each site, plus what web browsers and devices people mostly use to see it all. There isn't any personal info in them at all. So we have an account with Google Analytics.

... to use the theatre analogy again: you can think of Google Analytics as a Clip-Board Helper hired by the theatre manager.

They aren't trying to follow you home or find out your name. Instead, they stand in the hallway and count how many people went to the bar, how many people used the left staircase, and which posters people stopped to look at. This helps the theatre manager understand what parts of the building are working well and what needs improving.

For more info on the history of cookies, here is a decent website : https://cookiecontroller.com/internet-cookies/browser-cookies/

If you have any questions about this potted look at Cookies, then feel free to contact us below.

 

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