From the time I first got my hands on technology at age 7, I began blindly accepting cookies as I click into every website. It wasn't until recently that I bothered to ask what cookies are. By agreeing to allow the website to use cookies, you are agreeing to let them store your information so that they may better advertise things to you based on your demographic and your interests. This, although a little creepy, seems like a win-win. The company gets more money because you click on ads, the advertisers get more money because they are being seen by people with an interest in their product, and you are getting better-curated ads! However, research is being to show that this is not an effective form of advertising. '“When do people want to buy a Snickers?” said van Bentheim, recalling a conversation he had with someone who worked at an ad agency. “It’s not because someone is in a specific age or in a specific region or has a high income; it’s because they are hungry and they are looking at food at that moment' (Wired). Companies are beginning to jump off the cookies bandwagon altogether in favor of contextual advertising. This strategy for advertising does not encourage companies to track people but instead has them advertise their products only in market places related to their product. This has proven to be wildly effective while also being less intrusive on the customer.
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