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A cookie is a small text
file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a Web site to the hard drive of your
computer.
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This unique number usually contains
your IP address, a time and date, and information about your visit to a website.
But no personal information.
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An IP address is like your house
address on the Internet.
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The information a cookie stores depends
on who is placing the cookie.
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Most cookies are used passively
to track activities on a Web site,
such as storing Web site preferences, and are generally
deleted when you leave the website. They can also be used to
automatically supply a password for a subscription-only site.
These stay on your computer and are necessary for you to use that Web
site.
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Advertising cookies are active and are
used to track your Internet
browsing activities. These cookies stay on your machine and are
"called" at predetermined intervals by a marketer.
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In the latter case, these
can be used to collect information about an online shopper's preferences so that electronic marketers can target their offerings to that
individual.
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Don't delete
cookies without learning more about them.
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To learn more about computer cookies,
visit my Information about Cookies page.
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Or visit The
Electronic Privacy Information Center's Cookie Page
and the The
Cookie Concept - from CookieCentral.com.