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.
During the 2nd Session of the 57th Congress, on June 13, 1914, Democrat Representative Willard Saulsbury Jr. of Delaware (D-DE) introduced S.5845 in the Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The bill was an organic or territorial act.
During the 1st Session of the 76th Congress, on July 10, 1939, Democrat and Socialist member of the conservative Coalición, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias of Puerto Rico (D/Coalición-PR) introduced H.R. 7117 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This was a status bill calling for the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union on an equal footing with the states.
On April 5, 1989, during the 1st Session of the 101st Congress, Democrat Senator John B. Johnston of Louisiana (D-LA) introduced S. 711 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This legislation authorized an island wide plebiscitary vote on multiple status options for Puerto Rico.
On August 2, 1996, during the 2nd Session of the 104th Congress, Republican Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho (R-ID) introduced S. 2019 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This legislation authorized the celebration of a status plebiscite to resolve the political status of Puerto Rico.
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 June 30, 1987, during the 1st Session of the 100th Congress, Republican Representative Robert J. Lagomarsino of California introduced H.R. 2849 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The status bill provided for a referenda and development of enabling legislation regarding the incorporation of the Commonwealth into the Union as a state.
On October January 3, 1989, during the 1st Session of the 91st Congress, Democrat Representative Richard L. Ottinger of New York (R-NY) introduced H.R. 499 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. This status bill sought to provide the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union, on an equal footing with the original states.
Public Law 88-271 was enacted on February 20, 1964, during the 1st Session of the 88th Congress. Public Law 88-271 authorized the creation of the United States Commission on the Status of Puerto Rico. Central to this Commission was the potential development of a status plebiscite.
On March 2, 1954, during the 2nd Session of the 83rd Congress, Republican Representative Page H. Belcher of Oklahoma (R-OK) introduced H.Res. 455 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. This resolution called for an island wide referendum on whether Puerto Rico should become totally independent from the United States.
On December 6, 1899, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress, Republican Senator William E. Chandler of New Hampshire (R-NH) introduced S. 335 in the Senate Committee on Finance. The Organic Act imposed a 25% tariff on merchandize imported from Puerto Rico into the United States. This organic act treated Puerto Rico as a foreign country for constitutional purposes.