Khanacademy: Internet Safety: What Are Cookies?

What are cookies?

Well, yes, the things you eat, but now I’m talking about computer cookies. And what they’re used for. And why they can be either good or bad.

Cookies are a sort of computer network on the computer.

But what do they do.

Well, for an example let’s say you started up a new Online learning program, called RonPaul. (Which, actually, is a real program). You type in your username, and password:

Username: Example555.

Password: 523859204Juji.66

And after typing that in, once you are able to login into your account. And you never have to type that in again!

Why?

Well, because of Cookies. Cookies remembers the passwords on your computer, so you only have to type them in once.

Well, cookies can be useful. After all, you never have to remember your password and username, and have the bother of trying to type them in every time you want to login into your account. But they can also be very dangerous.

How?

Well, let’s say a robber steals your phone! He takes it, and runs away. Suddenly, he is able to get into all your accounts, even your banking accounts!

The next day, you go to buy a new phone. “302$” the person at the cash register says. You take out your credit card, and try to pay. But a little no money sign comes up! What happened to the thousands of dollars in your account! Gone, all gone!

Just because of Cookies!

So while it can be useful, cookies is just the lazy-man’s way. Better take the hard-but-safe route than the easy-but-dangerous one, in all of life!

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Thanks for reading!