Cookies: what they are and how to ensure your online privacy

With a funny name, that refers to the famous chocolate chip biscuit, cookies are an old concept and can be considered a fundamental part of the Web. Basically, they are nothing more than small pieces of code that are automatically saved in your browser as soon as you visit a certain website, so that when you visit it again it can identify you through this unique "tag" that was put on your machine.

But why is this identification necessary? From a positive perspective, cookies improve your web experience. It is through cookies that a video streaming service can suggest content based on your particular tastes, for example. You know those sites inappropriate for minors that request your date of birth? Without cookies, they would need to do this every time you visited the site.

E-commerce is also a frequent user of cookies. This is how they can keep items in your cart for weeks or even months, without the need to create an account. Basically, when you customize a web page – like refusing a newsletter pop-up, marking an article as read, deleting suggested content – it will only be "saved" in the server's memory because of the cookie you were offered on your first visit.

So, you must be wondering how this simple code can be dangerous. The answer is that, unfortunately, over the last few years, cookies are also used for advertising purposes, to track your activity and your online habits — all with the sole purpose of offering advertising targeted to your personal interests.

They're watching you!

Have you ever accessed an online store to check the price of a product and then started seeing ads for similar items everywhere? That's right: this happens because of advertising cookies that "fish" your interests and share them with advertisers, who start displaying banners to reinforce your intention of buying a certain product or brand. For many people, this is a highly abusive and unethical practice.

Cookies linked to online advertising networks are called third-party cookies. These are usually sent along with the main cookies without you even noticing. Fortunately, almost all of the most popular browsers on the market have already declared that they intend to eliminate this practice by 2022, but, until then, what can you do to protect your privacy?

LGPD: what changes?

With the enactment of the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) in Brazil, all companies need the user's explicit consent to collect and process personal information — and this includes placing cookies on your device to track your online activity. This is why you may have noticed that several websites have started showing what we call the "cookie notice" - a pop-up window that asks you to confirm the acceptance of such code.

Most Internet users simply click "OK", but it is important to note that, in most cases, these pop-ups allow you to configure which cookies will be installed and which will be rejected. This way, you may choose only those essential for the proper functioning of the service or site, refusing any third party code that will be used just to track your commercial interests.

But remember: many people have not yet adapted to the LGPD and do not offer this convenience. Therefore, it is important to protect yourself a second way: browser plugins that automatically block the installation of cookies.