What is a cookie?

A cookie is a piece of data which is stored on your local computer by a web site that you have visited using your web browser. The data that is stored is then sent back to the web site every time you visit that site. The data can contain information such as a user name and password for that site, items you are purchasing on a shopping site, or any other information the web site desires.

Why should I be concerned about cookies?

There has been a lot of coverage in the press about cookies and potential privacy issues. The main issue is that web sites can keep track of your movements on their site by using cookies, so that they will know exactly where you have and have not been. They are increasingly used by companies and advertisers to monitor and accumulate internet user data. Many people feel that this is an invasion of privacy.

How does Cookie Pal help?

Cookie Pal helps by automatically responding to requests to store cookies on your computer. It is especially useful because you can set up lists of sites that you do and do not want to accept cookies from, and then Cookie Pal can respond automatically when a cookie is received from those specific sites. This allows you to accept cookies from certain sites (some shopping sites for example will not work correctly without cookies, or you may need to accept cookies from web addresses on your company LAN), rather than just rejecting all cookies which come your way, although this too can be done with Cookie Pal.