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The debate over cookies: balancing user privacy and digital convenience

The essay example debates arguments about cookies and user privacy, asking whether cookies are a helpful tool enabling web personalization or an intrusive mechanism violating privacy. By discussing the benefits and privacy issues related to cookies, this argumentative essay shows that transparency and user control are crucial for a secure digital environment. This argumentative paper sample would greatly help marketing professionals and sensitive consumers in terms of privacy who would like to know about the influence of cookies on user experience and the security of information.

Octobre 28, 2024

* The sample essays are for browsing purposes only and are not to be submitted as original work to avoid issues with plagiarism.

The Debate Over Cookies: Balancing User Privacy and Digital Convenience

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The Privacy Cost of Cookies: A Closer Look at Data Tracking

In this digital landscape that was increasingly oriented toward users' preferences and

ease, cookies became critical to allowing users to interact on the Internet with a tailored

experience. Cookies store browsing history, login details, and preferences so that users

interact with websites and applications seamlessly and smoothly. Besides simplifying online

interactions, cookies enable the free content model through which websites generate revenue

by showing targeted ads. This convenience has also, unfortunately, led to heavy reliance on

cookies. This comes with an important privacy cost, as these little data files enable companies

to track user behaviors across the internet, mostly without full transparency or consent. In

light of the above, it would thus be critical to query the balance between convenience and

privacy that such a data-driven world is affecting. While cookies, in this case, do tend to

enhance user experience, personalize online interactions, and support the free content model,

their invasive tracking capabilities are indeed in need of stronger regulations for the

protection of user privacy.

Cookies allow users to easily navigate websites by storing information such as login

details and site preferences. They will also be spared the trouble of logging in every time they

access any site; neither would they have to change their settings and languages each time

(Pilton et al., 2021). For frequently visited sites, such as email services or social media

platforms, saving such details by way of cookies automatically implies added usability and

convenience, hence saving hours upon hours for these users (Tsohou & Kosta, 2017).

Another beneficial aspect of cookies is that they make the online experience more

personalized. For instance, e-commerce-based websites make use of cookies to remember

items left in a cart, even if a user has exited their website (Pilton et al., 2021). It can also

provide product recommendations from previous browsing behavior. Thus, the user can get

relevant items in no time (Tsohou & Kosta, 2017). The personalized experience in shopping

saves users a great deal of time and contributes toward sales, initiating a mutually beneficial

circle between consumers and businesses.

Thirdly, cookies are part of the economic model of the internet because, through them,

the free content is supported by targeted advertising. Most online content is paid for by

advertisements, and cookies help advertisers reach the right audience, thereby making ad

campaigns more effective (Pilton et al., 2021). Without cookies, many websites might need to

shift to paywall models, rendering the internet less accessible (Pilton et al., 2021). In this

way, cookies make free resources possible, from news to educational content, while helping

advertisers and content creators reach their audiences.

Despite these advantages, cookies do involve serious privacy risks. Many websites are

into the practice of deploying third-party cookies that track users across multiple sites,

coming up with detailed profiles of individual browsing behaviors (Veale et al., 2018). This is

shared many times with advertisers or sold to data brokers, thus compromising user privacy.

In practice, users seldom know what this tracking entails, while consent forms usually ensure

it is easy to opt in and hard to opt out (Veale et al., 2018). The more sensitive the data that can

be stored in the cookies adds to the hazard of exposure in case of a breach. Much more

stringent regulations are called for regarding the collection, sharing, and storing of data,

considering how intrusive third-party cookies can be. That way, users maintain control over

their private information.

Although cookies greatly help in enhancing user experience, and providing

personalization and content for free, they equally breach privacy. The tracking of cookies

does have wider ramifications and does call for more stringent regulations to bring

transparency to their use. There needs to be a balance between convenience and privacy in

this world of ever-growing dependence on digital data while protecting the rights of the users.

Society will be able to move toward a more privacy-conscious internet, when there are firmer

and more enforceable rules on cookie consent and the use of data, without sacrificing

functionality that cookies make possible.

References

Pilton, C., Faily, S., & Henriksen-Bulmer, J. (2021). Evaluating privacy - determining user

privacy expectations on the web. Computers & Security, 105(105), 102241.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2021.102241

Tsohou, A., & Kosta, E. (2017). Enabling valid informed consent for location tracking

through privacy awareness of users: A process theory. Computer Law & Security

Review, 33(4), 434–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2017.03.027

Veale, M., Binns, R., & Ausloos, J. (2018). When data protection by design and data subject

rights clash. International Data Privacy Law, 8(2), 105–123.

https://doi.org/10.1093/idpl/ipy002

Octobre 28, 2024

24/7 custom essay writing by real academic writers

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Academic level:

Graduate

Type of paper:

Argumentative essay

Discipline:

Information Technology

Citation:

APA

Pages:

2 (550 words)