2019 is coming to an end and we’re baking some delicious cookies for the holidays. Can you help us tell a few folk at Google, Facebook and elsewhere that cookies are for bellies, not for browsers?

We’re wrapping up 2019 and it smells delicious in our office. What a great time to remember the true meaning of the word “cookie”. Cookies are small cakes made from sweet dough baked on a sheet.

Cookies belong in bellies, not in browsers, right?

What’s wrong with browser cookies?

Cookies are the most common way to track you as you browse the web. When you visit a website, small pieces of code will be saved to your browser.

The “good” cookies will help remember your logins, preferred language, and will do other useful stuff.

The “not-so-good” kind will track you every step of the way. Through them, companies will collect huge amounts of personal information about you and build a “profile”. They’ll sell this information to advertisers so that those can sell you targeted ads.

With tracking cookies, the second you visit someone’s website, you’ll start seeing ads for that website’s product everywhere – from Instagram to Facebook to YouTube. Brrrrr!

Take a look here for more on how tracking cookies invade your privacy and some basics of web browser security and privacy.

Speak up about cookies

We believe that businesses should not be allowed to sell personal information to third parties. Companies should also be prohibited from using personal information for targeted advertising. Personal information should only be used to provide the service consumers signed up for.

This year, let’s remind a few companies of the true meaning of the word “cookie”.

Here’s what to do

It’s simple.

Send this cool Christmas card to the offending companies by tagging them on social media.

We have shared it on our social channels, so just find it there, or download and post yourself. 👇

Include a message of your own, use the hashtag #CookiesAreForBellies, and you are all set.

If you are not on social media, print it and mail it to them.

Over the holidays, we’ll retweet and share the best messages.

In January, we’ll pick the top 5 and send Vivaldi goodies to the winners. The goodies will include a mystery cookie cutter. 😜

So who will you be sending the card to?

P.S. We’re sending ours to Google. 🤔