Right now, your computer has an array of tiny files that are keeping tabs on you. Test your knowledge of Internet cookies, one of the most misunderstood aspects of the Internet.
Which of these can Internet cookies not do?
collect personal information about a user
store information from a Web server on a user's computer
contain a unique ID for a computer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Contrary to popular belief, Internet cookies can't collect personal information about a user from his or her computer.
information about the size of your computer's hard drive
information about a user's preferences
top secrets that are surreptitiously stored on one user's computer then moved to another
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
State information is details about your computer and preferences. For example, if you've been to a site before, you're in a state of being a return user. State information can also be stored specifics -- for instance, your zip code when receiving automatic local weather updates from a site.
What kind of cookies does a 2003 White House Office of Management and Budget memo forbid?
benign cookies
dummy cookies
persistent cookies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
The White House memo forbade the use of persistent cookies. These are cookies that remain active, even after a user has exited out of his or her Web browser.
Cookies are written in name-value pairs. The name may be as simple as "UserID," and the value is a string of numbers and characters, the actual ID tag for the user's computer.
