Cookies on your Computer
For the people frequenting this little outpost on the Internet that saw something weird going on on my site, here is the story. Cookies on your Computer. What does that have to do with a blog and why am I mentioning it here. Well, here is the why part.
Why
As from May 26 2012 all websites operating from the European Union have to comply with certain rules. Those rules are explained on the EU Cookie Law website.
Yummo, a cookie!
According to this website:
If you have a website, the chances are it uses cookies. Those cookies are now subject to laws that require you to disclose, and get consent for, their continued use.
That’s why you see the notification that my site places cookies on your Computer. Why do I want to put cookies on your computer in the first place? Here is what Wikipedia has to say about cookies and the use of them.
My website’s host is located in The Netherlands. Why? Because that’s where I live. Because The Netherlands is a member of the European Union I have to comply to the rules governed in the EU.
Why do websites place cookies on their visitors computers in the first place? Cookies were primarily designed to be used as a snapshot of the visitors settings for a certain site. A color scheme they choose for the site, the state the site was in just before the visitor left the site.
When the use of the Internet began to spread more, cookies took on different ‘roles’ i.e. the contents of a virtual shopping cart.
I went virtual shopping the other day.
A scenario.
Let’s say you went on-line shopping for some clothes. You filled your virtual shopping cart with tons of goodies. Nothings special. You didn’t go to check – out the purchased goodies and you ended the browser session.
The following day you went back to the same site to complete the purchase. Your shopping cart still full with things you purchased the other day. The site remembered what you had ordered. How convenient.
The site you are re-visiting still remembered everything you ordered, because it left a cookie on your computer. The cookie holds the URL from where it was sent to your computer and the information it needed to remember what you ordered. A file – in a simplified form could look like this:
WhereBought=http://awesomeclothingstuffandgoodies.com CartContents= Levi;F;9;black;NumberPurchased=1 Socks;M;10;black;NumberPurchased=6pair GString;F;9;black;NumberPurchased=6 TotalAmount=$95.50
I think you get an idea what I mean. [The URL mentioned in this example does not exist, I checked.]
Dangerous?
That depends on what kind of information is stored in the cookie that has been placed on your computer AND who is accessing that information. A hacker could read that information (if they were interested). Now what if the URL pointed to , or (Don’t try these, I checked them too, you pervs!). 
Anyways, Please, can I place a cookie? That’s what the bar / popup is on my site or the little ‘Settings’ icon on the top right hand side of all the pages.. Now you know. It’s still EU Law only, but you never know if it might spread to other parts of this world. In the meantime, enjoy your stay here. Nothing has really changed.
How would you feel about being forced to do this to your precious blog? Be sure to watch the video posted below. I think it’s time for one hell of a reality check!
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Whoa! I used to like cookies but I’m starting to distaste them
. On the web I find good and bad about cookies, but I do have my browser set to empty all when I close it. Pain in the butt? Yes, but gotta be safe. Love the lil warning up top! You rock!
Brenda recently posted: I’ve Been Everywhere Man
Hi Brenda,
Well… it’s the law, so I have to obey. I don’t want some pencil-pusher ‘somewhere’ make this site go down. Better safe than sorry! Being a little bit careful is always go, but like I said, it’s time for a reality check as explained in the vid.
What I’m doing over the weekend is to go and see what cookies my website actually places and what their content is. Thanks for the input.
By the way, WP has a plugin for the cookie opt-in available, but so far the rules only apply for sites operating from the European Union… Blegh… Lucky YOU
Not a fan of cookies, myself, (the internet kind). I use Hitman Pro to sweep them regularly. Now I know why these cookie notifications appear on British sites.
Enjoyed the video – quite amusing. Nice job at the top of the page, too.
Thanks for the info. Since I do know you, I’ll allow your cookies.
Debbie recently posted: ADVENTURES IN DOGSITTING – CHAPTER ONE
Hi Debbie!
In all honesty – the cookie-bar on (funny word, cookie bar…) the top of my site is a WordPress Plugin. It does the work for me. Cookies are not bad per se… It depends on what information the cookie holds AND who gets to see it. Some cookies are essential for the functionality of a site, and the average webmaster would no want to care of any visitors… Like I said – time for a reality check.
I was wondering Jan why I was seeing this notice now on a lot of my friends blogs that are in the UK. I don’t think I missed the post where they explained it so maybe they haven’t gotten around to writing one yet. Heaven forbid anyone breaks this darn “cookie law”…
Now I’m up in the air about those boogers. They can be a royal pain but I also empty mine on a very regular basis. You know that better safe then sorry thing we all know about.
Oh and by the way, I’m NOT a perv… Nope, did not go check out those website names but I was so tempted. That was until you called us out. Dang it!!! You crack me up Jan you had me smiling too.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted: UPDATE: ReplyMe Plugin Issue Resolved
Hi Adrienne,
Normally cookies serve a certain purpose. for instance to remember where a visitor is from, or save ‘ the state’ of a page when they left the site and return back.
Well, you know how all bloggers are, we abide the Law, always…
To check what is really saved – cookie-wise – on your computer you can empty the cookies, cache(s), history from your browser and restart the browser, visit the page browse a couple of pages, close the browser. The do a search on the browsers history directories for files containing the url you just visited.
That should result in the cookies from the page you have just visited. Mine places 6 cookies on the first visit…
I’m happy you’re not a perv. I mean… it takes one to know one!
Hi Jan,
Cookies… Ah… I thought of yummy ones until I learn about those kind of cookies
lol…
Lately I noticed such warnings on several sites too. I didn’t know what is the big deal
What if your site doesn’t comply with this rule Jan ~ TERMINATION?
Anyway if your hosting servers operates at US, it doesn’t applies to you, right? First, I thought it’s for country level domains only.
The demonstration of cookie structure is very simply Jan
Now I’m imagining what if this spreads globally… Kinda buggy, nah?
Cheers…
Mayura recently posted: Why Link or URL Preview Not Working on Facebook?
Hi Mayura…
For now it’s only for hosts that are located in Europe. That includes The Netherlands. My site is on a com level domain, but because it is located in The Netherlands, I have to apply.
The big thing about termination is, that (in a worst case scenario) CAN do that. But they will not, because the chances of being ‘caught’ are very slim…
The cookie example was a structural simplified pseudo coded cookie for demonstration purposes…
I think it’s better be mentioned in Privacy Policy than showing off that way using a notification bar Jan
Just mentioning in Privacy Policy not enough?
Cheers…
Mayura recently posted: Create a Simple Android Application for Your Site with AppsGeyser
Hi Mayura,
Just to mention it to a visitor s not enough – by law. The notification should be visible at the first view of the page ans must leave the visitor the choice to either accept the fact, that cookies will be used of leave the site. Once again – and that is the point I’m trying to make – it’s mandatory. By law. Regulated. To death. And I don’t like that. Just take a look at any of the bigger sites in Holland (I have to abide to the law THERE) and see. Try www . telegraaf . nl
This is the site of one of the big national newspapers. It has to carry the same bar, except this one is placed at the bottom of the first page the visitor sees. It stays there, until the visitor clicks OK…