By Dr. Tim Sandle
EDITOR AT LARGE SCIENCE
DIGITAL JOURNAL
August 28, 2025
OpenAI is making internet search available to all ChatGPT users, allowing people to engage conversationally with the chatbot while seeking answers or information from the internet - © AFP Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV
Consumers remain unsure what cookies are and what the impact is when searching online (for the uninitiated, cookies are small files that store information on your device). According to a new survey, fewer than 2 in 5 (39%) of those polled have a strong understanding of what Internet cookies are used for. It follows that nearly one-quarter (24%) of respondents blindly accept internet cookies when they visit a webpage.
Websites must obtain your active and informed consent before storing most types of cookies. However, a large proportion of people opt to simply accept them so they can quickly access the web page content.
As the survey indicates, less than one-third of participants knew that cookies are also used to authenticate users and accounts. More than one-fifth of respondents (22%) said they think sites use cookies to sign users up for email lists involuntarily, and 13% said they have no idea at all what cookies do.
The firm All About Cookies has undertaken analysis on data privacy and online security. This is through a relaunch of the company’s Internet Cookies Trends report with updated statistics. The survey focuses on the U.S. market.
To collect the data for this survey, the company surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in September 2023 and August 2025. These surveys were conducted via Pollfish. All respondents were U.S. citizens over the age of 18, and remained anonymous.
One key change, since the survey was last conducted, highlights how Internet users feel about cookie-based personalized adverts. It turns out that the vast majority (87%) find them invasive.
While cookies are useful for site functionality and user experience, they can also track your online activity, raising privacy concerns that necessitate legal compliance and informed user consent.
Yet for those knowledgeable about web cookies, there is an increased pushback against their use, with many users increasingly savvy about data privacy.
As the survey states: “Anyone who uses the internet on a regular basis has encountered cookies, whether through pop-ups asking for cookie permissions or by clearing cookies out of their browser. For how often we’re confronted with cookies, the assumption is that people know what they are.”
One common type of cookies is called a tracking cookie, which tracks a user’s behaviour and sells that data to other companies that use it to send targeted advertising to other websites that the user visits. It is this form of cookie that consumers are most resistant towards.
All About Cookies recommends the following tips for a safer web-browsing experience:Use an ad blocker to achieve a more secure browsing experience. Familiarize yourself with the best ad blockers and choose the features most necessary for your personal online safety.Be mindful of pop-up notifications. When should you accept cookies? Every website’s policy varies and it’s important to understand how your information could be used for advertising and retargeting.Enhance your privacy. Figure out how to clear computer cookies based on your preferred browser, and complete the necessary steps.
August 28, 2025
OpenAI is making internet search available to all ChatGPT users, allowing people to engage conversationally with the chatbot while seeking answers or information from the internet - © AFP Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV
Consumers remain unsure what cookies are and what the impact is when searching online (for the uninitiated, cookies are small files that store information on your device). According to a new survey, fewer than 2 in 5 (39%) of those polled have a strong understanding of what Internet cookies are used for. It follows that nearly one-quarter (24%) of respondents blindly accept internet cookies when they visit a webpage.
Websites must obtain your active and informed consent before storing most types of cookies. However, a large proportion of people opt to simply accept them so they can quickly access the web page content.
As the survey indicates, less than one-third of participants knew that cookies are also used to authenticate users and accounts. More than one-fifth of respondents (22%) said they think sites use cookies to sign users up for email lists involuntarily, and 13% said they have no idea at all what cookies do.
The firm All About Cookies has undertaken analysis on data privacy and online security. This is through a relaunch of the company’s Internet Cookies Trends report with updated statistics. The survey focuses on the U.S. market.
To collect the data for this survey, the company surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in September 2023 and August 2025. These surveys were conducted via Pollfish. All respondents were U.S. citizens over the age of 18, and remained anonymous.
One key change, since the survey was last conducted, highlights how Internet users feel about cookie-based personalized adverts. It turns out that the vast majority (87%) find them invasive.
While cookies are useful for site functionality and user experience, they can also track your online activity, raising privacy concerns that necessitate legal compliance and informed user consent.
Yet for those knowledgeable about web cookies, there is an increased pushback against their use, with many users increasingly savvy about data privacy.
As the survey states: “Anyone who uses the internet on a regular basis has encountered cookies, whether through pop-ups asking for cookie permissions or by clearing cookies out of their browser. For how often we’re confronted with cookies, the assumption is that people know what they are.”
One common type of cookies is called a tracking cookie, which tracks a user’s behaviour and sells that data to other companies that use it to send targeted advertising to other websites that the user visits. It is this form of cookie that consumers are most resistant towards.
All About Cookies recommends the following tips for a safer web-browsing experience:Use an ad blocker to achieve a more secure browsing experience. Familiarize yourself with the best ad blockers and choose the features most necessary for your personal online safety.Be mindful of pop-up notifications. When should you accept cookies? Every website’s policy varies and it’s important to understand how your information could be used for advertising and retargeting.Enhance your privacy. Figure out how to clear computer cookies based on your preferred browser, and complete the necessary steps.
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