Skip to content
TrackPodcasts
businessNov 19, 202226:44pending

How the cookie became a monster

Planet Money

About this episode

30 years ago, Lou Montulli set out to solve a fundamental problem with the internet, and accidentally created an entirely different one. On today's show, how the cookie went from an obscure piece of code designed to protect anonymity, to an online advertiser's dream, to a privacy advocate's nightmare.

Subscribe to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Get every episode summarized

Each time Planet Money publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.

Email me new episodes

Free for 3 shows. No card needed.

Hosts & guests

No transcript yet

This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.

How the cookie became a monster

Planet Money

0:00
26:44

More episodes

More from Planet Money

View all episodes →