Cookie functionality was first introduced in Netscape’s browser in 1995 without any controls. Third-party software, such as Cookie Crusher, emerged to clean and manage cookies. Today, there are many options available for users who want more control over cookies than their browsers provide.
In 1995, when Netscape first designed and implemented the cookie functionality in its browser, there were no cookie controls available. Cookies have been automatically enabled by default. Control groups soon learned that the cookies were being used for invasive purposes, and third-party software arose to fix the problem. Enter the cookie cleaner.
Early versions of cookie cleaners simply deleted all cookies found on your hard drive when you started up or, alternatively, when you shut down. They did not prevent cookies from being set or placed on your computer, nor were they configurable in any way. The functionality of cleaning cookies of this type has been integrated into many utilities as a bonus feature, but some have found it inconvenient because the useful cookies have been deleted together with the unwanted cookies.
Soon, the cookie cleaner became more of a cookie manager, incorporating more control over cookies. Probably the most popular and comprehensive cookie cleaner and manager has been Cookie Crusher from The Limit Software. Cookie Crusher didn’t just clean cookies, it was the first cookie program to allow the user to prevent cookies from being set in the first place. With this generation of cookie cleaners, users could create a list of sites that should be allowed to set cookies, while preserving the desired cookies.
However, even this proved to be too general, as sites that generated useful cookies also generated web tracking cookies, sometimes from third-party advertisers. The cookie cleaner has answered the call again, with Cookie Crusher leading the way by offering a unique feature to further refine cookie sorting. It offered sorting not only by website address but also by the type of cookie presented in the website. A registration cookie could be identified and saved, while a tracking cookie from the same site could be automatically denied.
Today, there is a wide variety of cookie cleaners and managers. Over the years, cookie control has also been built into browsers, but a third-party cookie cleaner or manager can offer a greater degree of flexibility and ease in controlling cookies on the fly or on demand. If you want more control over cookies than your browser provides, or a separate program for added security, a cookie cleaner and manager will suit your purposes.
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