Privacy and security on the Web is a major topic of discussion in our time. One of the more controversial elements of that discussion is a technology known as "cookies."

Cookies are basically small packets of information stored on your hard drive which can then be access by the server which put them there to retreive information about what you have done on the site. The point is not to spy on you, but rather to customize the site for your browsing experience. Examples of cookies include storing passwords so you don't have to keep retyping them, storing whether or not you have voted in a poll so that you can't vote repeatedly, or storing information that can then be accessed again on a different page.

Some cookies are "persistent," meaning that they stay on your hard drive and can be referenced every time you go to the site. Others expire in a matter of minutes, or as soon as you close your browser. None of them can be accessed by anyone but the server that sent them, so information stored by one site can't be stolen by another. Cookies also cannot access any personal information that you did not enter in your browser (e.g. they can't find your email address unless you type it into a form on a site).

Below are some links to information about cookies. We think that you will find that, on balance, cookies are a safe technology used primarily to enhance the usefulness and enjoyment of the Web. Of particular interest is the first article by Christopher Barr, an commentator for CNET, one of the largest Web specific resources available. He discusses why he feels comfortable accepting cookies.

CNET's Christopher Barr on "the truth about cookies"
Netscape's FAQ about cookies
The World Wide Web Consortium's question sheet on cookies
CNET article "Government OKs Net cookies "