Thanks to the humble cookie, our favorite websites can remember us, greeting our return visits like a conscientious barista. But also thanks to these small files, some egregious privacy abuses have occurred. Cookies will disappear this year, though a problem solved may be a problem caused.

The cookie, invented by a 23-year-old Netscape engineer 30 years ago, was initially intended to act as an identifier so users didn’t have to keep logging in. It has long been co-opted, however, by the advertising industry as a way to snoop on what users are up to. Loading even the most basic web page these days means that dozens of tracking cookies are quietly placed on your computer. Suddenly, what had been a quick search for a one-off purchase ignites a frenzy, with every website coordinated in its determination to service what it thinks is your new passion for collecting mattresses or whatever.