However, not all cookie uses are so benign. Doubleclick, an Internet advertising firm, recently admitted to associating names and addresses with Internet surfing habits. Previously, Doubleclick's privacy policy maintained that the company did not personally identify web surfers, but just analyzed web browsing habits. Not only are cookies being sent from the web site you are visiting, they are also occasionally being sent from the banner advertising at the top of the page. Doubleclick maintains that this practice allows them to better target specific online advertisements to certain groups of people.
Consumer advocates maintain that it is a blatant invasion of privacy.
Though several news organizations reported that Doubleclick had already begun linking the info and surfing habits, Kevin O'Connor, CEO of Doubleclick Inc. denied the charges. In Netscape 4.5 and above, you can set Netscape to warn you before accepting any cookies by clicking on the Edit menu and choosing Preferences. Click on the Advanced category, and you will notice a section dealing with cookies. Internet Explorer users can modify their cookie settings by clicking on the Tools menu and choosing Internet Options. Scroll down until you see a section dealing with cookies.