If you've been on the web for much time at all, you've probably heard about how on-line companies can track your movements using "cookie" files, but aren't sure what they really are, or whether or not you should be concerned.

In a nutshell, cookies are tiny files of code that your browser can place on your hard drive in order to keep track of where you've been and what you've done during your surfing sessions.

The good side of cookies is that they can help make the web a more convenient tool.

A cookie can save your password so you don't have to re-enter it every time you visit a favorite site. Thus, I can go to Datek to trade stocks, Northwest Airlines to book travel or MyYahoo to get personalized news without having to "log on" each time I visit, as these web sites automatically recognize me and my preferences by the cookies left on my system.

Cookies also help keep track of what you've done at any particular site on the web so that the site knows where you've just been and what you you'll probably want to do next. Maybe you've been shopping for books online and have looked at dozens of titles, but have selected just three to buy. When it's time to "check out" and make the purchase, cookies can be used to remind the web site of what you've already selected, so you don't have to re-enter the titles that you want.

However, the "dark side" of cookies is that advertising, marketing and research companies tend to use them to track your movements across the web. Where you've been, and when, can be detailed and complied into vast databases. It's said that, for the most part, these tracking cookies won't actually tell anyone who you are by name, but instead simply create an anonymous profile from your Internet journeys.

Many people are concerned about this for a variety of reasons. Some, like myself, just don't like the idea of being followed whether it's on the web, on the phone or in person. My attitude is that whether you know my name or not, get the heck off my tail!

Others are concerned by the potential for technology to someday put actual names or other identifying information to these cookie-built profiles. This isn't too far off, and many web-advertising companies are working toward this end.

So, the question is this: How do you get the benefits that cookies can afford, without having to worry about the privacy issues?

While there are numerous security programs that can be installed to help you manage cookie usage, the latest version of Internet Explorer actually has some great cookie-management tools built in.

If you go to the "Tools" menu and select "Internet Options" you'll see several program sections that can be customized. Choose "Security" and notice that IE allows you go manage different categories of web sites.

The first is simply labeled "Internet" and if you go click the "Custom Level" button you can scroll down the list to "Cookies" and you will see two categories, one for "stored" and the second for "session."

If you "disable" the first and "enable" the second you've just configured IE to allow the ones that help you shop and gather information, but eliminated any that can track you're long-term movements as they cannot be saved to your computer!

However, this would also disable storing some of the good cookies, the ones that save your passwords and account information for sites that you do business with and visit regularly.

So, the next step is to select the "Trusted Sites" section where you can revisit the "Custom Level" button and enable cookies in both the "stored" and the "session" sections. The difference here is that these settings will only apply to your personal list of "Trusted" sites, which you can create by simple clicking the "Sites" button!

For example, I've added Datek.com, MyYahoo.com, NWA.com, Stamps.com, Efax.com and about a dozen others that I either subscribe to or do business with regularly to my "Trusted Sites" category.

These sites can place permanent cookies on my hard drive, all others cannot; and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So, there you have it, security and convenience without buying or loading any additional software!

Published: September 6, 2000

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