您是否曾经在您的 PC 上进行病毒或恶意软件扫描，并对检测到的“威胁”数量不断攀升感到惊讶？您的笔记本电脑上肯定没有 220 条木马在溃烂，对吧？
假设您在浏览Web(Web)和下载文件时谨慎行事，这是极不可能的。但是，很可能是您一直在浏览以某种方式跟踪您的活动的网站。
将跟踪 cookie 称为恶意或危险可能有点牵强 - 但是，用户需要确定它们是否值得定期扫描和删除。随着 Do Not Track的引入，许多浏览器允许您阻止大多数跟踪 cookie。尽管如此，有些人还是会溜走。
在本文中，让我们深入研究跟踪 cookie 并讨论它们是什么、如何使用它们以及如何摆脱它们。
什么是跟踪 Cookie？
要了解跟踪 cookie，让我们首先讨论什么是 cookie。cookie 是用于保存用户特定数据的小文本文件。(text file)例如，当您登录网站并勾选复选框以保持登录以供将来访问时，您的浏览器将在您的硬盘驱动器上存储一个 cookie，该网站稍后可以与之交互以了解您的偏好。
除了存储访问者的偏好之外，cookie 的另一个良性用途(benign use)是存储营销数据。这允许网站向用户展示有针对性的广告，这可能会提高他们的转化率。但是，跟踪 cookie 通常会更进一步。
一些跟踪 cookie 将在整个互联网上(Internet)与您一起使用，并在您重新访问网站时将您的个人信息和数据(information and data)转发回网站。这通常用于重定向广告目的。
例如，如果一个网站正在运行由Google提供的广告，那么您在该网站上的活动可能会转移到一个完全不同的网站上，该网站也显示Google的广告。
跟踪 Cookie 不好吗？
这主要取决于您对“坏”的定义是什么。如果您是在病毒扫描期间通过跟踪 cookie 收到警报的人，请注意这些文件不是恶意文件，不会对您的计算机造成损害。
然而，在很长一段时间内，来自主要广告网络的跟踪 cookie 可能会变得如此庞大且充满您的个人信息，以至于它们可能被视为具有侵入性。一些以这种方式使用跟踪 cookie 的公司包括AddThis、Facebook、Google、
Quantserve和Twitter。
通过积极的跟踪 cookie，这些公司可以了解您的位置、设备信息(device information)、购买历史(purchase history)、搜索查询等等。有时，您甚至都不知道正在收集这些信息。然而，一些国家，如英国，已通过法律要求网站通知用户他们的数据是通过 cookie 收集的。
总之，跟踪 cookie 会损坏您的 PC 吗？不可以。跟踪 cookie 会以您认为不道德的方式侵犯您的隐私吗？是的。
如何避免跟踪 Cookie？
多亏了 Do Not Track 立法(Track legislation)，您可以在许多跟踪 cookie 出现之前就阻止它们。每个主要浏览器都通过隐私设置支持此功能——我们甚至有关于在Microsoft Edge(Microsoft Edge)中启用 Do Not Track 的指南。
谷歌浏览器(Google Chrome)用户可以前往设置(Settings)页面，点击页面底部的高级，然后启用(Advanced)“使用您的浏览流量发送“不跟踪”请求(Send a “Do Not
Track” request with your browsing traffic)”选项（在隐私和安全(Privacy and Security)下）。
许多个人广告商和网站也提供“请勿跟踪”功能(Track functionality)。Twitter就是一个例子，进入个性化和数据(Personalization and Data)设置将显示各种基于跟踪的偏好。
就广告商而言，NAI 消费者退出(NAI Consumer Opt-Out)页面可以帮助您识别和选择退出在您的浏览器上使用跟踪 cookie 的广告商。它支持大规模退出功能，真正简化了流程。
您还可以直接访问Oracle和Acxiom等组织，选择退出他们基于兴趣的第三方广告。
否则，您可以定期清除浏览器的 cookie，或者在例行健康扫描期间摆脱跟踪 cookie。这足以帮助防止 cookie 变得足够大，以至于它们可能被视为具有侵入性和危险性。
最后，您处理 cookie 的方式取决于您自己的偏好和判断力(preference and discretion)。如果您认为网站跟踪您的个人数据并向您显示与您的浏览习惯相关的内容是无害的，请不要理会它们。否则，上述步骤有助于确保您的隐私得到尊重。无论哪种方式，您的电脑都是安全的！
What Are Tracking Cookies and Are They Bad?
Have you ever been in the middle of a virus or
malware scan on your PC and been surprised at the climbing number of “threats”
detected? Your laptop surely doesn’t hаve 220 trojans fеstering on it, right?
Assuming you use a bit of discretion while
browsing the Web and downloading files, this is highly unlikely. What is
likely, however, is that you’ve been browsing websites that have been tracking
your activity in some way.
To call tracking cookies malicious or
dangerous might be a stretch—however, it’s for the user to determine if they’re
something worth regularly scanning for and deleting. With the introduction of
Do Not Track, many browsers allow you to block most tracking cookies. Still,
some slip through.
In this article, let’s dive into tracking
cookies and discuss what they are, how they’re used, and how you can get rid of
them.
What are Tracking Cookies?
To understand tracking cookies, let’s first
discuss what cookies are. A cookie is a small text file that is used to save
user-specific data. For example, when you log in to a website and tick the
checkbox to keep yourself logged in for future visits, your browser will store
a cookie on your hard drive that the website can later interact with to know your
preferences.
Other than storing visitors’ preferences,
another benign use for cookies is to store marketing data. This allows websites
to show targeted ads to users which may increase their conversion rates.
However, tracking cookies often take it a step further.
Some tracking cookies will go with you all across the Internet and relay your personal information and data back to a website when you revisit it. This is commonly used for retargeting advertising purposes.
For example, if a website is running ads served by Google, your activity on that website may carry over with you to an entirely different one that is also displaying Google’s ads.
Are Tracking Cookies Bad?
This mostly depends on what your definition of
“bad” is. If you’re someone who is alerted by tracking cookies during a virus
scan, be advised that these files are not malicious and will not do damage to
your computer.
However, over a long period of time, tracking
cookies from major advertising networks can grow to be so large and full of
your personal information that they may be seen as invasive. A few companies
that utilize tracking cookies in this way include AddThis, Facebook, Google,
Quantserve, and Twitter.
With aggressive tracking cookies, these
companies can know your location, device information, purchase history, search
queries, and so much more. Sometimes, you never even know this information is
being collected. However, some countries, like the UK, have adopted laws that
require websites to notify users about their data being collected through
cookies.
In summary, will tracking cookies damage your
PC? No. Can tracking cookies infringe upon your privacy in ways that you may
consider to be unethical? Yes.
How Can I Avoid Tracking Cookies?
Thanks to Do Not Track legislation, you can put a stop to many tracking cookies before they even materialize. Every major browser supports this functionality via privacy settings—we even have a guide on enabling Do Not Track in Microsoft Edge.
Google Chrome users can head to the Settings page, click on Advanced, at the bottom of the page,
and enable the “Send a “Do Not
Track” request with your browsing traffic” option (under Privacy and Security).
Many individual advertisers and websites also
offer Do Not Track functionality. Twitter is one example, where going to the Personalization and Data settings will
show a variety of tracking-based preferences.
As far as advertisers go, the NAI Consumer Opt-Out page can assist you in identifying and opting out of advertisers who are using tracking cookies on your browser. It supports a mass opt-out feature that really simplifies the process.
You can also go directly to organizations like Oracle and Acxiom to opt out of their third-party, interest-based advertising.
Otherwise, you can clear your browser’s cookies at a regular interval or just get rid of tracking cookies during routine health scans. This is mindful enough to help prevent cookies from growing large enough to where they can be seen as invasive and dangerous.
In closing, the way you handle cookies is a
matter of your own preference and discretion. If you think it’s harmless for
websites to track your personal data and show you content related to your
browsing habits, pay no mind to them. Otherwise, the steps above can help in
making sure that your privacy is respected. Either way, your PC is safe!
