Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
On November 8, 2023, during the first Session of the 118th Congress, Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico (D-NM) introduced S.3231 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This bill enabled the people of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, nonterritorial, fully self-governing political status for Puerto Rico and to provide for a transition to and the implementation of that permanent, nonterritorial, fully self-governing political status. The three territorial options included in this bill are Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association.
On August 25, 2020, during the 2nd Session of the 116th Congress, Democrat Representative Nydia M. Velazquez from New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 8113 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This bill recognized the right of the people of Puerto Rico to call a status convention through which the people would exercise their natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision.
On September 17, 1998, during the 2nd Session of the 105th Congress, Democrat Representative Robert Torricelli of New Jersey (D-NJ) introduced S.Res. 279 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This resolution expressed the Senate’s support of the right of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico toe express their desires for the future political status of Puerto Rico.
On March 2, 2006, during the 2nd Session of the 109th Congress, Republican and New Progressive Party Resident Commissioner Luis G. Fortuño of Puerto Rico (R/PNP-PR) introduced H.R. 4867 in the House Committee on Resources. This bill provided for a federally sanctioned self- determination process for the people of Puerto Rico.
On August 2, 2007, during the 1st Session of the 110th Congress, Democrat Senator Kenneth L. Salazar of Colorado (D-CO) introduced S. 1936 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill provided for a plebiscite on the future status of Puerto Rico.
On February 12, 2014, during the 2nd Session of the 113th Congress, Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich from New Mexico (D-NM) introduced S. 2020 (accompanied by S. 2000 in the House) in the House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This status bill set forth a process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a state of the Union.
On February 4, 2015, during the 1st Session of the 114th Congress, Democrat and New Progressive Party Resident Commissioner Pedro R. Pierluisi of Puerto Rico (D/PNP-PR) introduced H.R. 727 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill set forth a process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a state of the Union.
On February 7, 2017, during the 1st Session of the 115th Congress, Democrat Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez of Illinois (D-IL) introduced H.R. 900 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This bill recognized Puerto Rico’s sovereign nationhood either under independence or free association and provided a transition process.
On March 28, 2019, during the 1st Session of the 116th Congress, Democrat Representative Darren Soto from Florida (D-FL) introduced H.R. 1965 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill set forth the terms for the admission of the territory of Puerto Rico as a state of the Union.
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