These companies have sent cookies to store data, locations, references to locations on their servers, and other information. When you return to that site, the server can reference the cookie file, see if you ve visited the site recently, and tap into the information it s already stored about you on your computer. Companies want to know who you are before they decide to treat you a certain way. One site, for example, keeps you from having to go through a lengthy survey to get to a prize. The server gets your cookie information, sees you ve already gone through the process, and based on that information, lets you proceed.
Cookies can have a sour aftertaste, though.
For one thing, you have a huge track record of your Web visits sitting on your hard drive, and it s not encrypted in any way. For another thing, many people feel this commercial activity is presumptuous, exploitative, and ripe for abuse. Think about it. A company whose site uses cookies could be tracking where on the site you ve gone, how many times, and how often and when you ve returned. In 1995, when commercial Web activity mushroomed and consumer advocates became conscious of cookies, Netscape put an option in its browsers to let users turn off the cookie feature.