What does it mean to "accept the use of cookies"?

MINNEAPOLIS – Pop-ups seem to greet you on nearly every website you visit, asking do you accept the use of cookies.

So what exactly is a cookie? WCCO asked IT business analyst Juan Torres.

"Cookies are files that are placed on your device or a computer when you visit a website," Torres said. "They can really do a lot with the data and really assume a lot of things with the data they collect from you."

Cookies are what keeps your logged into a website or remembers your shopping cart.

"What you've clicking on, what you're browsing for, what products you might like, and that information is being aggregated," he said.

So what does it mean to accept all cookies?  

"You're consenting for those cookies to be on your computer, for that data to be used," he said.

Accepting all cookies gives third-party entities, like advertisers, your data. Accepting "necessary cookies" helps the website function properly. And closing the box without choosing will either opt you in or out depending on the website's default settings.

"Generally you have complete control. You can shut cookies off completely in your browsers," he said.

You can choose a level you're comfortable with sharing in your browser settings. 

"Just like cookies in real life, right, only accept cookies from people you know and trust," he said.

Torres recommends clearing cookies occasionally, especially after you visit a site you're not sure about.

The European Union passed a law that requires websites to get your consent to collect cookies. So did California, and that's why you're seeing it more often.