A cookie, simply, is a small text file that a website places in a special folder on your harddrive. It can contain information about you that is specific to the site, such as a password or your favorite color, or it just might be an anonymous marker to let a site know that you've visited before. Cookies have a lot of useful purposes, allowing you to create personalized web experiences without having to constantly re-enter your preferences at a given website. For example, CSE gives you the option of using a cookie when you take action and contact congress. The cookie let's you take action multiple times without having to re-type your address.

Even though cookies are useful, there is a lot of consumer mistrust about them, primarily because the industry began using cookies without notice or user consent. In addition, certain companies such as third-party banner advertising services threaten to use cookies to track your surfing across multiple websites, an invasion of privacy that is objectionable to many people.

Your browser's default settings allow all cookie exchanges to occur between your computer and the Web server. Unfortunately, the only other setting on most browsers simply blocks cookies completely. Since most websites use cookies in an appropriate way, and cookies are essential to the proper functioning of many websites, this "all or nothing" approach to cookies is cumbersome and unrealistic.

Help is on the way. Several programs-- many of them free-- attempt to fill the gap and allow more sophisticated cookie management. These tools are the best way to get the benefits of cookies while protecting you from the more privacy-invasive aspects of their use.

We don't recommend any of these specifically, but we offer the entire list as a resource for you. If you know of a good tool that we haven't listed, please contact us at reply@cse.org.

IDcide: A free browser plug-in for Explorer that lets you block third-party cookies.
Guidescope: Free software to block third party ads and cookies.
Cookie Crusher:Another software tool for purchase.
AdSubtract: Software to block banner ads.
Zapada : Javascript program blocks banner ads and some pop-up ads.
Privada: Privacy Accounts allow cookie management.
Freedom: a free software firewall with a cookie manager feature.

DoubleClick's Privacy Information Page

CookieCentral (Great Resource Site)

Privacy.Net (Has Several Interesting Cookie and Tracing Demos)