how can i remove tracking cookies

tracking cookies are not necessarily bad.... most sites you go to (including your bank, for example) may place a "cookie" on your machine... sometimes, this allows you to re-access the site without having to log-in again... which can be helpful.  so you WANT 'good' cookies.   if you simply delete them all, you'll be throwing out the good along with the bad.

 

i find it preferable to use an anti-malware program, like Lavasoft's Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06, or SpyBot Search & Destroy 1.4 [both of which can be freely downloaded from many sites, including http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html ] , to remove only those cookies that are well-known to be potentially bad.   However, it's not just a simple matter:

 

 

the problem is that some cookies collect information from you at one site, but then share the information with other sites.    unfortunately, 'bad' cookies have a way of coming back, over and over again.   if you wish to permanently stop them:

in Internet Explorer, click on TOOLS

   INTERNET OPTIONS

   PRIVACY

   EDIT (web sites)       [or just SITES, on WinXP]

and then type-in and BLOCK the 'bad' cookies you want to keep away (e.g., DOUBLECLICK.NET )

when done, click on OK

Just be careful not to block any "good" sites (like your bank/brokerage, or sites you intentionally log-into regularly, like Yahoo or HotMail).