What would the Internet look like without third-party cookies?

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"Over 90% of websites use cookies to improve the user experience." Have you ever imagined what would happen if these digital assistants disappeared from our lives for an entire year?

Repocket explored the impact of a hypothetical cookie-free year on the Internet.

Can I do without third-party cookies?

In a world where the Internet permeates almost every aspect of life, imagining a year without Internet cookies might seem like a return to the digital Stone Age. " Over 90% of websites use cookies - small data files stored on your computer when you visit a site - to enhance the user experience," explains Jason Adler, software engineer at Repocket. But what if they disappeared for a whole year? The idea may seem absurd, given our heavy daily dependence on them, but thinking about it offers valuable insights into the crucial role of these digital aids.

The fundamental role of third-party cookies

Before diving into the consequences, it's essential to understand what Internet cookies are. In simple terms, cookies are small pieces of data sent from a website and stored on the user's computer by the web browser while the user is browsing. They are designed to be a reliable mechanism enabling websites to store information or record the user's browsing activity.

Cookies play a vital role in delivering effective, personalized Internet experiences. They are responsible for many operations that we often take for granted:

• Authentication: Verification of login information, ensuring that users remain logged in to their accounts on different pages and sessions.
• Cart data: Keeps a list of the items added to your shopping cart in online stores.
• Personalized content: Display of specific content adapted to the user's preferences, based on browsing history and activity.
• Analytical data: Gathering of data on user behavior on websites, helping with various improvements and optimizations.

Without these features, our online world would be very different.

Impact of third-party cookies on user experience

Without cookies, the convenience and personalization we're used to online would be considerably reduced. For example, every time you visit your favorite website, you'd have to log in again, as the site wouldn't remember your previous session. Personalized settings, such as theme preferences or language settings, would revert to default values on every visit. Shopping online would become laborious, as shopping carts wouldn't remember items added once you'd navigated away from the page. In short, the Web would seem less like a personalized space and more like a series of disconnected, forgetful islands.

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What about privacy and security without third-party cookies?

In terms of privacy, the absence of cookies might seem to be an advantage for consumer privacy, as cookies have been a focal point in discussions about online tracking and data collection. Without cookies, it would be more difficult for websites to track user behavior over time, which could reduce targeted advertising and the collection of personal data by third parties. However, it is likely that in the absence of cookies, companies would seek alternative methods of tracking user behavior, potentially using techniques that are more invasive or harder for users to detect and control. This change could spur innovation in tracking technologies, some of which may present even greater challenges to user privacy than cookies.

A world without third-party cookies - Potential impacts

Let's imagine this hypothetical scenario. Here are some possible consequences:

• Login complexity: You could end up having to enter your login details several times, as websites would not be able to "remember" users from one session to the next.
• Generic Web experiences: Personalized content, such as recommended articles or products, would be a thing of the past. Every web experience would be fairly general and impersonal, like a step back a few decades in digital evolution.
• Complicated e-commerce: Shopping online without cookies would become increasingly laborious. Items would disappear from the shopping cart as soon as you accessed a new page, making shopping a trial of patience.
• Limited site optimization: Without access to user activity data, website owners would find it difficult to optimize their sites, damaging the long-term user experience.

Despite the likely challenges, Repocket's Jason Adler points out the unique benefits that emerge in such a scenario. "Without cookies, there would be significantly less targeted advertising and tracking online. While this may sound annoying to digital marketers, it's a potential benefit for user privacy."

Adapt to an environment without third-party cookies

The hypothetical disappearance of Internet cookies for a year leads us to reflect on their complex role in thedigital ecosystem. While the immediate impact may appear to improve user privacy, the wider implications would likely affect the usability of the Web, the effectiveness of online advertising and the very structure of the digital economy. This scenario highlights the delicate balance between personalization, convenience, privacy and economic interests online, and underscores the need for innovative solutions that protect user privacy while preserving the functionality and economic viability of the Web.

So, in a cookie-free Internet space, what might be the potential alternatives for offering users a seamless experience? Or how could you, as a user, adapt more easily to this situation? Jason Adler proposes decentralized personal data stores as a possible alternative. "This approach would allow individuals to retain control over their data, deciding who can access it and for what purpose," he explains.

Repocket study