Some cookies, particularly third-party cookies, are used to track users across different websites. Advertisers and companies use this information to build detailed profiles about your online behavior, preferences, and habits without explicit consent.

While many sites require you to accept cookies to use their services, this can lead to the collection of vast amounts of personal data that you may not want to share.

Cookies store personal data, including login credentials or shopping cart items. If hackers gain access to these cookies, they can potentially steal sensitive information. Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in cookies to hijack active sessions, allowing them to impersonate users or gain unauthorized access to accounts.

Cookies allow advertisers to show personalized ads based on your browsing history. This can lead to manipulative advertising techniques designed to influence your behavior, sometimes encouraging unhealthy habits (e.g., promoting junk).

Some websites store large numbers of cookies, which can slow down your device or overwhelm users with constant consent prompts. While cookies don’t affect your physical health directly, they can compromise your digital privacy and security, which can have emotional or mental health effects if you’re concerned about online privacy. Managing cookies by regularly clearing them or using privacy-focused tools can help mitigate these risks.