Cookies are small files of information that a web server generates and sends to a web browser. Web browsers store the cookies they receive for a predetermined period of time, or for the length of a user's session on a website. They attach the relevant cookies to any future requests the user makes of the web server.
Cookies help inform websites about the user, enabling the websites to personalize the user experience. For example, ecommerce websites use cookies to know what merchandise users have placed in their shopping carts. In addition, some cookies are necessary for security purposes, such as authentication cookies.
The cookies that are used on the Internet are also called "HTTP cookies." Like much of the web, cookies are sent using the HTTP protocol.
User sessions: Cookies help associate website activity with a specific user. A session cookie contains a unique string (a combination of letters and numbers) that matches a user session with relevant data and content for that user.
Suppose John has an account on a shopping website. He logs into his account from the website's homepage. When he logs in, the website's server generates a session cookie and sends the cookie to John's browser. This cookie tells the website to load John's account content, so that the homepage now reads, "Welcome, John''s"
John then clicks to a product page displaying a gold bar. When John's web browser sends an HTTP request to the website for the gold product page, it includes John's session cookie with the request. Because the website has this cookie, it recognizes the user as John, and he does not have to log in again when the new page loads.
Functionality: Cookies help a website "remember" user actions or user preferences, enabling the website to customize the user's experience.
If John logs out of the shopping website, his username can be stored in a cookie and sent to his web browser. Next time he loads that website, the web browser sends this cookie to the web server, which then prompts John to log in with the username he used last time.
Tracking: Some cookies record what websites users visit. This information is sent to the server that originated the cookie the next time the browser has to load content from that server. With third-party tracking cookies, this process takes place anytime the browser loads a website that uses that tracking service.
If John has previously visited a website that sent his browser a tracking cookie, this cookie may record that John is now viewing a product page for jeans. The next time John loads a website that uses this tracking service, he may see ads for jeans.
However, advertising is not the only use for tracking cookies. Many analytics services also use tracking cookies to anonymously record user activity.
You can prevent the setting of cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser (see your browser Help for how to do this). Be aware that disabling cookies will affect the functionality of this and many other websites that you visit. Disabling cookies will usually result in also disabling certain functionality and features of this website. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable cookies.
You can be able to customize your cookie preferences by tapping cookies in the footer section at anytime using our consent tool. The consent tool specifically controls the functionality cookies and tracking cookies set by using the Gold Trade Africa website since strict cookies cannot be disabled.