All About Cookies

Businesses are being sued for their use of website tracking technologies, raising questions about legal exposure for common online practices. The discussion centres on why ordinary companies — not just tech firms — are now targets of litigation over tools like analytics, cookies and session-replay software, and what compliance steps they may need to take to avoid claims.

The relaunched America.gov website debuted with a privacy pledge, but analysts found code in its login.gov integration that sets a cookie lasting roughly 20 years, prompting questions about whether the federal site enables long-term tracking of visitors. Critics say the long expiry conflicts with the site's stated privacy commitments, while others note login.gov's shared authentication infrastructure may explain the tracking behaviour.

A Spanish-language technology writer is warning that browser fingerprinting makes internet users far easier to identify than most people assume. Rejecting cookies is not enough to evade trackers, because the browser itself exposes parameters that uniquely identify a device across websites. The piece invites readers to check their own browser's fingerprint and reconsider how anonymous their everyday browsing really is.

Chip City, the cookie chain known for its weekly rotating 'ooey gooey' flavors, has shut down all of its Connecticut locations, according to CT Insider. The closures mark a retreat from the state for the popular bakery chain, and cookie fans in Connecticut are reacting to losing a spot known for its indulgent, ever-changing menu of warm cookies.

Spanish tech blogger The Cheis has published a new post exploring how much identifying information a web browser reveals about its user, covering browser fingerprinting, tracking and privacy protection. The piece walks readers through checking their own browser's fingerprint, a topic of growing interest as advertisers and data brokers rely on fingerprinting techniques that are harder to block than traditional cookies.

The Star Tribune's annual Holiday Cookie Contest is approaching its 2026 entry deadline. The Minneapolis newspaper's long-running competition invites home bakers across Minnesota to submit their best holiday cookie recipes, with winning treats featured in the paper's food section ahead of the holiday season.

A viral cookie chain has exited a key market and closed all of its stores there. The move signals a pullback for a brand that saw rapid, social-media-driven growth, though the company's stated reasons and which locations are affected remain unspecified in initial reports.

Chip City, the popular cookie chain known for its gooey, oversized cookies, has shut down all of its locations, according to ABC7 Eyewitness News. The abrupt closure of the entire chain has surprised customers, many of whom took to social media to share reactions and speculate about what led to the sudden shutdown.

Allrecipes is featuring a recipe guide for meal prepping cookie salad, a sweet dessert-style dish that mixes cookies with a creamy, fruit-inspired salad base. The unusual pairing of a convenience dessert with the meal-prep format is drawing attention online, with readers sharing the novelty of preparing a dessert salad in advance.

A new vulnerability entry, EUVD-2026-86806, was published on 25 September 2026 for the Linux kernel and later updated on 3 October. It concerns the sunvdc virtual disk driver, where LDC cookies were not unmapped when a descriptor send failed. The fix has been resolved in the kernel, and the advisory affects Linux alongside roughly two dozen other listed products.

A news outlet has published a recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies, listing ingredients and baking instructions for readers looking to make the classic treat at home. Recipes like this circulate widely, and audiences often compare methods, debate add-ins, and share their own twists on the familiar dessert.

Melinda French Gates chose not to invest in her daughter Phoebe Gates's startup, and the company is back in the spotlight after facing cookie-stuffing allegations earlier this year. The story is drawing attention for combining a high-profile family business decision with questions about the startup's advertising practices, prompting debate about ethics, family ties and venture funding.

California businesses are being briefed on Senate Bill 690 and its effect on claims filed under the California Invasion of Privacy Act over website-tracking technologies. The law narrows liability for companies whose sites use analytics and tracking tools, ending a wave of suits that targeted routine cookies and session-replay software. Employers are being urged to review compliance and data practices as the legal landscape shifts.

Chips Ahoy! has introduced a Mystery Cookie, a new limited-edition product whose flavor has not been disclosed, as reported by CSP Daily News. The item gives no further details on ingredients, timing, or availability, so it is unclear exactly what the product contains or how Mondelez is rolling it out.

Chip City Cookies is shutting down all of its stores, including two in New Jersey, ending the run of the once fast-growing cookie chain. The closures affect locations across the New York area and beyond, and the news is drawing reactions from local customers in communities like Hoboken who are surprised to see the popular baker disappear from their neighborhoods.

The Chip City cookie shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan has permanently closed, with NYPD officers arriving at the location to collect evidence. The closure was reported by local outlet West Side Rag, which noted the police presence at the store. No details have been given on what prompted the police involvement or whether other Chip City locations are affected.

A parent has turned to Reddit asking whether nonstop school fundraisers are normal everywhere, sparking wider discussion about the constant stream of wrapping paper, cookie dough and donation drives aimed at families. Many parents report similar fatigue, saying fundraising requests have become relentless and questioning how schools finance activities and whether pressure to participate should fall on households.

In September, US courts ruled against several website tracking lawsuits, signaling resistance to claims over online privacy tools and monitoring technologies. However, legal commentators warn that companies cannot relax: broken or non-functional cookie banners on websites continue to expose businesses to privacy litigation and regulatory risk. Employers and website operators are being advised to audit their consent mechanisms despite the recent unfavorable run for plaintiffs in these tracking cases.

Security researchers report a new malware loader dubbed 2CLoader that is designed to evade common security tools. Once it slips past defences, it deploys the Vidar and Remus information stealers, which can harvest passwords, cookies, and other sensitive data from infected machines. Cybersecurity professionals are circulating the findings and warning organisations to review their endpoint protections.