Dear Arizona Republic Editors,

Your Wednesday April 18 editorial - "Federal computer prying must end" is a striking example on the pervasive ignorance on the field of computing and the internet. Terming cookies as "intrusive, offensive, privacy-invading assaults on the rights of a free people" does a disservice to your readers. The purpose of cookies, is not to spy, but to give web site patrons a convienent way of choosing options and preferences at web pages they choose to visit. Most web sites use cookies, including your arizonarepublic.com and sponsored azcentral.com web enterprises. A cookie created by one domain, denoted by a specific web address like www.smirkingchimp.com, cannot be accessed by another domain. For example, a cookie set by arizonarepublic.com is not accessable to yahoo.com or www.strausplace.com - not unless arizonarepublic "opens up its database of registered visitors" to another party. A cookie does not "collect information about your browsing and online buying habits" from other sites. Additionally, the only information that can be "collected" from a web site automatically is your IP address (identifies your network node presently active on the world wide network that is the web), browser program label and maybe operating system. Anything else stored and kept, is voluntarily given by the web surfers themselves. Sure, protecting privacy from government "internet snooping" is critical, but you are addressing the wrong party for culpability. It is the responsiblility of the web site proprietor to respect the privacy of their patrons.

It makes me shudder to think of the inaccuracies, disinformation, myths and fables that are present in fields and disciplines you report on where I am not as knowledgable. When I read an editorial on the airline industry, utility industry, education, science, I must remain skeptical to the espoused "truth". So it must be a slow news Wednesday. Or is this editorial just a red herring to sidestep attention from other big technology/internet issues that should warrant the public's attention: free speech violations, corporate control and consolidation of a once open net, subversion of copyright law to protect powerful money interests instead of the public, and equal access for citizens of all economic levels? Oh, but I forgot that the Arizona Republic and its parent company are actually club members of the oligopolies that wish to control and pre-package cyber content. Reporting on these matters might make the leaders in your discipline squeamish. The subtle effect of highlighting these types of internet privacy is to corral web publishing into the domain of the well financed, as opposed to the hand of spirited individuals.