Login

Have you ever wondered what cookies really are and why the websites you visit use them?

When you visit most websites, the server collects data about you and/or your visit. If you logged in to an account on the website, the server knows who you are. Other data may include what pages/products you viewed or put in your shopping cart, past purchases, posts or comments that you made, etc.

Most visitors like it when websites "remember" who they are between visits. In order to do this, most sites use cookies.  A cookie is simply a text file that the website instructs your browser to create on your computer. Cookies are normally very tiny, holding only an identifier code. The rest of the data is usually stored in a database on the server, away from your computer.  When you visit the website, one of the first things the server does is ask your browser for the contents of the cookie that it placed on your computer. If the cookie is found and returned, the server can then use the identifier to look up your data so it will "know" who you are again.

Even if you are just a passive visitor and don't log in to an account on the website, it likely still uses a cookie or two to identify and track your actions on the website. This way the owners of the site will know what features, pages or products the average visitor spends the most time visiting, and therefore what parts of the site need the most attention, etc. In this scenario, tracking is harmless and doesn't violate any privacy whatsoever.

Sometimes, different websites do business with one another, and sometimes they sell their visitors' tracking data to each other. Although most of this data doesn't directly identify any particular individual, it can still be seen by many as a violation or potential violation of privacy. Most websites also have a privacy policy and terms of use agreement stating how they collect data, what types of data they collect and what they do with that data.

There is no single entity with the authority or jurisdiction to police the internet. For the most part, websites don't have to tell you what info they collect, what they do with it or whether or not they use cookies or for what purpose. They also may tell you that they do one thing, while in fact they do another. Only a little over half of all websites are in the US, that leaves nearly half a billion sites outside of your ability to hold accountable for your data.¹

Wappapello.net is owned by Stitzweb, which is owned by Hilda Stitz and managed/operated by Richard Stitz who live in Wappapello, MO USA. We post links to our current terms of use and privacy policy at the bottom of all pages on the site, the server that all our data is on (outside of cookies, of course) is located in the US and we use SSL security (green padlock in the address bar) so our visitors' data is as safe as is possible online. Of course we take other measures as well like password encryption among others.

On our login screen, there is a "Keep me logged in" check box. This tells the server to set a cookie with your identifier code in it, so next time you visit you will be instantly logged in as if you haven't left. Unchecking this box will prevent a cookie from being used, making you have to log in manually each time you visit.  Also, if you are logged in and click the log out button, the cookie will be destroyed and you'll have to log in manually on your next visit. This is why it is advisable to always log out after using a shared computer, as it forces the next person to enter a password in order to log back in, keeping your account safe from unauthorized users. Also if using a shared computer, tell the browser not to remember the password when you log in.

I hope this make things a little clearer, if there are any questions or if I left something out please leave a comment.