What are non-essential cookies and what do they do?

What are non essential cookies and what do they do?

Non-essential cookies are cookies that are not strictly necessary for the basic functionality of a website but are often used to enhance user experience, provide additional features, or collect analytics and marketing data. Here is a breakdown of common types of non-essential cookies and their purposes:

1. Analytical/Performance Cookies

     •Purpose: Track how users interact with a website (e.g., which pages are visited most frequently).

        •Examples: Google Analytics, Hotjar.

        •What they do:

        •Monitor website performance.

        •Gather data to improve user experience.

        •Provide insights into user behavior, such as time spent on pages or navigation patterns.

2. Targeting/Advertising Cookies

    •Purpose: Deliver targeted advertisements based on user behavior and preferences.

        •Examples: Facebook Pixel, Google Ads.

        •What they do:

        •Track users across different websites.

        •Build user profiles based on browsing habits.

        •Show personalized ads relevant to the user.

3. Functionality Cookies

    •Purpose: Enhance user experience by remembering preferences.

        •Examples: Cookies that remember language selection or login details for convenience.

        •What they do:

        •Save preferences, like language or region settings.

        •Remember user customizations (e.g., dark mode toggle).

4. Social Media Cookies

    •Purpose: Enable interaction with social media platforms or share content.

        •Examples: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

        •What they do:

        •Allow sharing content directly on social media.

        •Track user activity for targeted ads or analytics on those platforms.

5. Tracking Cookies

    •Purpose: Collect detailed data about users for analytics, marketing, or profiling purposes.

        •Examples: Third-party tracking services.

        •What they do:

        •Follow user behavior across multiple sessions and websites.

        •Aggregate data for market research or user profiling.

Consent Requirements

Under privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA:

        •Non-essential cookies require user consent before being activated.

        •Websites must clearly explain their purposes and provide users with options to accept or reject them.

By allowing users to manage these cookies, websites strike a balance between providing a tailored experience and respecting user privacy.

Many users mistakenly consent to all cookies. To reverse this, simply use your browser’s settings menu to clear all cookies or select certain ones.