Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 2025

Investigating Cookie Banners and Mitigating Complacent Clicking With Informed-Choice Architecture

Lacy Hope Ocean Classroom ; Joy McMurrin Ocean Classroom ; Merika Moffatt

Abstract

Cookies, or small packets of data sent between programs, have become synonymous with the opaque practices for collecting, storing, and commodifying user-generated data. Convoluted language and misleading design practices impede user understanding and agency over the security of their data, including its collection, use, and storage. This article provides a brief history of cookies, presents concerns related to how websites inform users of the presence of cookies and their choices in how they are used, and introduces heuristics that align with technical and professional communication best practices for crafting user-centered cookie banners.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2025-10-23
DOI
10.1177/00472816251384924
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multimodality professional writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

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    Computers and Composition
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    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
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    The Rhetoric of Misdirection in Corporate Privacy-Policy Statements
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