A cookie-a simple text file that is placed on a user's computer by a Web server-contains information about the user's visit to that website. It might also contain personal information a user provides to a website, such as a user name and preferences. Advertisers often use cookies to track browsing habits and leverage the information they gather to create more effective, targeted marketing campaigns.
Use the Internet to research how advertisers use cookies and the benefits and drawbacks to both the advertiser and the user. What arguments might advertisers make in defense of using cookies? What are the implications for a user's personal privacy and security? What types of software are available to scan for and fix these particular types of issues with security? What is your opinion of cookies and how they are used by advertisers? Have you controlled cookie usage on your personal computer? If so, explain why you've made this choice.