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Surely when you visit any new website for the first time, you have noticed an annoying pop-up banner informing you that this website is using cookies. These banners usually take up a lot of screen space; Therefore, you must click on the "Accept" button to fully use the site, as ignoring this banner makes browsing the site annoying. While we have previously explained how to hide these banners permanently, the question remains: Why does the message “This site uses cookies” appear over and over again? And what are actually cookies?

Should you always accept cookies

"Cookies" in short, are small text files that a website you are visiting sends to the computer or device you are using. After they are accepted, these cookies will be stored on your device's web browser. The cookies will then be able to track and store data on your device, and send that data back to the website owner when you visit it.

So what kind of data can be collected and for what purposes and should you accept those files; All of these are important questions that we will answer in the following lines.

If you're browsing the web and see a pop-up asking you to accept cookies, then you've already faced this repeated decision. While a simple click of the Accept button may seem at first glance harmless, it does more than just click a button. We do not mean that accepting cookies is a bad thing, it depends on the site that asks you to accept or refuse who will be able to access your browsing data and what it will do with it, as well as whether rejecting cookies will affect your ability to use this site or not.

Keep in mind that the cookies that websites create and store on your browser differ from one website to another, as some cookies are placed by first parties such as the websites you visit, while others are placed by third parties such as website advertisers. So, because cookies may pose a risk to users' data, sites are now focusing more on asking you first to accept their cookies.

Why do websites require you to accept cookies?

The real reason behind this is completely legitimate is to implement the articles of the Data Privacy Protection Act that govern online data tracking for the sake of transparency. This data privacy law is known as the European General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and it is a law drafted and passed by the European Union in 2018 to ensure the privacy and security of Internet users' data. It also subjects organizations with websites within the European Union to strict rules governing personal data collected from users and requires public disclosure of data collection methods and purpose, and the encryption of data collected.

GDPR requires all multinationals to submit an opt-in where website owners obtain user permission to use cookies before proceeding. The user's web browsers then become a place to store those cookies. This subscription is designed to give users greater control over their data, knowing that information is collected if they first give their consent. Failure to comply may result in fines for the website owner, which has prompted more websites to send out notices asking to accept cookies to ensure they comply with the law.

Do you have to accept cookies every time?

There are reasons for you to agree or decline to accept cookies. When making a decision, it is helpful to understand two main questions: Should you accept these files if a site requests them? The answer is simply no, you do not have to accept cookies in any way whatsoever. Laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are designed to give you control over your data and your browsing history. The only downside to rejecting cookies on any site is that you will not receive the full user experience meaning that some of the site's functions will not work such as the ability to log in, or display ads that are equivalent to your interests...etc.

In some scenarios, it may be beneficial for you to accept cookies. To understand why cookies are useful, it is important to understand the data a cookie may contain which includes: website name, unique user ID, browsing habits and history, personal preferences and interests, links clicked, website visits, time that you spend on that site, your account login information, including your username and password, your IP address, personal data such as your phone number and address, what you have purchased from the shopping sites.

Of course, not all of these cookies are collected from one website, so we indicated at the outset that cookies differ from one website to another. But in general companies can use cookies for their own benefit, and in some cases for yours too, to be clear let's highlight the ways in which accepting cookies can help you:

• Browse the site with its full functionality: The first feature is very simple, without accepting cookies, some websites will not give access to the full functions and services they provide, as cookies help perform those functions, not as a punishment for refusal.
• Keeping you logged in: Cookies can be useful because they help sites remember you and they can customize your browsing experience according to your interests - making your browsing experience faster and better. This is especially useful when shopping online. For example, when you visit a website again, it can remember cart items that you haven't purchased yet.

When should you not accept cookies

There are some scenarios in which you may not want to accept or keep cookies, here are some examples:

• Visit unencrypted websites: You should not accept cookies when you are on an unencrypted website - a website where there is no padlock icon displayed next to the website address. Why is this dangerous? If the website is not encrypted, there is no security to protect your data. This unsecured access may allow third parties such as hackers to steal cookies from your browser, intercept potentially confidential personal information, such as credit card data and other private information, making you more vulnerable to online crimes such as identity theft.
• Computer speed slowed: Storing new cookies in your browser over and over again can slow down your computer. Cookies take up disk space, which may affect the speed of your computer.
• Reported cookies: Antivirus software may flag suspicious cookies, in which case you should not accept them or you should delete them from your browser.
• Use of private information: If you share sensitive data such as banking information, you should refuse to use cookies to keep them safe. This is the type of personally identifiable information that, if intercepted by the wrong parties with bad intentions, can help fraudsters commit online fraud. Personal information must always remain private and only be shared when absolutely necessary and with the highest levels of privacy and security in mind.

So, the next time a website asks you to accept cookies, feel free to decline the request if you want to, you can still browse the web more privately than before.