Many websites use cookies, which are data based on your preferences and collected by your browser in situations such as switching languages or logging in. They prevent you from having to enter certain information repeatedly, for example.
However, cookies can also pose a threat to your browser's security and privacy. Advertising companies use tracking cookies to monitor your online activity, recording your interests and behaviors, which may be used for targeted advertising or sold for profit.
Do not worry. There is a middle ground on this subject: cookies can be disabled in any web browser and enabled again when convenient. In this article, we will teach you how to enable and disable cookies in the most widely used browsers, which can serve as a basis for disabling them if you use another browser.
Cookies and Ways to Disable Them
When you visit a website for the first time, it sends a cookie to your device containing your preferences and/or login information. When you return, the cookie is read and your information is loaded, allowing quick access.
Cookies are small text files, allowing information to be stored without taking up much space. Each cookie has an expiration date, which can range from hours to years. When they expire, the website may send new cookies.
On personal devices, keeping cookies stored is not a problem. Caution is necessary on shared computers. Failing to log out of a website and clear cookies may allow others to access your confidential information, depending on the website you visited and where you entered information.
To mitigate risks, regularly clear your browser's cookies, configure privacy options to block third-party cookies, and use services with advanced cookie and privacy controls.
Below is a tutorial on managing your browser data by enabling or disabling cookies in today's leading browsers.
Google Chrome
1 - Open Google Chrome and click the three dots in the upper-right corner. Then choose "Settings."
2 - Choose the "Privacy and security" option on the left side of the page
3 - Select "Third-party cookies." You must then choose one of the four options shown: Allow third-party cookies (does not block any cookies from any websites visited); Block third-party cookies in Incognito mode (blocks cookies from websites visited during Chrome's Incognito browsing mode); Block third-party cookies (websites cannot use cookies to access your browsing activity across different pages)
Mozilla Firefox
1 - Select the three lines in the browser's upper-right corner and press the "Settings" option.
2 - Click "Privacy & Security"
3 - Scroll down to "Cookies and Site Data." There, you will see different options both for deleting data and for managing which websites you allow or do not allow to use cookies collected during your browsing.
Microsoft Edge
1 - Go to the upper part of the screen, click the three dots, and select the browser's "History"
2 - Next, select the three-dot option next to the magnifying glass and go to the "Open history page" tab
3 - Select the "Clear browsing data" option. When you select this option, the browser will open a screen containing the "Cookies and other site data" alternative. Through this alternative, you can delete all cookies stored in your browser.
Brazil's General Data Protection Law and Its Online Application
The LGPD serves to protect the data of all individuals in Brazil. It applies to any activity involving the processing of personal data, such as collecting, storing, using, sharing, and deleting information that could identify an individual. This includes everything from simply collecting data on a website to more complex operations such as analyzing data to personalize content or targeted advertising.
This evidently includes cookies and other browsing data provided as users access the internet through different browsers.
In the online environment, the LGPD establishes a series of requirements and principles that companies and their respective websites must follow, such as:
Consent: Companies must obtain users' consent before collecting and processing their personal data. This consent must be freely given, informed, and unambiguous.
Transparency: Companies must provide clear and accessible information about how the data will be used, including the purpose of collection, the types of data collected, and users' rights.
Security: Companies are responsible for adopting appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, leaks, or any form of security breach.
Data subjects' rights: The LGPD guarantees users a series of rights, such as access to their data, correction of incorrect information, deletion of unnecessary data, and the right to data portability.
Responsibility and accountability: Companies must demonstrate compliance with the LGPD by appointing a data protection officer, carrying out privacy impact assessments, and maintaining records of data-related activities.
