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Blocking cookies
#18441 10/16/11 08:54 AM
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grelber Offline OP
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In older versions of current browsers (eg, Mozilla), it was possible to block specific cookies from being set (in the window where cookies could be individually removed).
In Firefox and Safari, as far as I can tell, this is not possible; cookies can only be removed individually or en masse. There seems to be no way to prevent cookie intruders from inserting themselves.
Blocking cookies from unwanted sites such as doubleclick and other advertisers would be profoundly desirable. My previous list of blocked cookies extended into triple digits.

Can cookie blocking in fact be done? And if so, how?

Re: Blocking cookies
grelber #18442 10/16/11 09:48 AM
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Here are some things that you should look into:

Ghostery
Glimmer Blocker

I assume that you have played with the settings in Safari's Preferences, Privacy pane. Click the Details button for more information.


Jon

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Re: Blocking cookies
jchuzi #18443 10/16/11 01:29 PM
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grelber Offline OP
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You assume correctly.

I'm not looking for ad blockers, just cookie blockers. And I can't just block all cookies (even if it were an option) because I need them to be allowed on numerous sites.

So there's nothing internal to either Firefox or Safari which would do I want to do and did in my previous iMac's archaic browser? Ain't "progress" grand?

Last edited by grelber; 10/16/11 01:36 PM. Reason: Clarification
Re: Blocking cookies
grelber #18444 10/16/11 02:10 PM
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Lion compatibility of them.
Originally Posted By: grelber
Ain't "progress" grand?

Isn't that statement a bit premature? Anyway, have you seen this Firefox Help page on blocking cookies?
For Safari there are the following freeware utilities: Safari Cookies, SafariCookieCutter, and, perhaps, Cache Out X. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the Lion compatibility of them. Finally, you may want to look into how to enable Safari's "Do Not Track" support in Lion.


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Re: Blocking cookies
alternaut #18448 10/16/11 08:11 PM
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grelber Offline OP
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Merci. And no, I don't think it's premature.

I hadn't seen that Firefox help page, but now I have. That help page does not help with the latest version of Firefox, 7.0.1; it describes things which don't exist in this version.

Two downsides:
One can only block a site with considerable time and effort compared to the previous method of just blocking cookies in the list of cookies that had been set and remained in cache.
One still cannot block cookies that a website uses to deliver other material (eg, adserver, doubleclick [in all its various incarnations]); the browser doesn't seem to recognize them as third-party cookies. Again, the previous method allowed such.
C'est la vie.

Last edited by grelber; 10/16/11 08:31 PM. Reason: Comment on version
Re: Blocking cookies
grelber #18452 10/16/11 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted By: grelber
One still cannot block cookies that a website uses to deliver other material (eg, adserver, doubleclick [in all its various incarnations
From the website of Ghostery's developer:

Ghostery allows you to block scripts from companies that you don't trust, delete local shared objects, and even block images and iframes. Ghostery puts your web privacy back in your hand.

I don't know if that translates to cookies, but I use Ghostery and it appears to do what it promises.


Jon

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Re: Blocking cookies
jchuzi #18464 10/17/11 02:30 AM
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> I don't know if that translates to cookies, but I use Ghostery and it appears to do what it promises.

A while back I e-mailed the Ghostery folks and asked them how, inasmuch as what Ghostery blocks isn't "there before and gone afterwards," I could determine that Ghostery was actually doing something.

I'm still waiting to hear back.

Anybody ?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Blocking cookies
alternaut #18465 10/17/11 02:39 AM
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Originally Posted By: alternaut
Lion compatibility of them.
Originally Posted By: grelber
Ain't "progress" grand?

Isn't that statement a bit premature? Anyway, have you seen this Firefox Help page on blocking cookies?
For Safari there are the following freeware utilities: Safari Cookies, SafariCookieCutter, and, perhaps, Cache Out X. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the Lion compatibility of them. Finally, you may want to look into how to enable Safari's "Do Not Track" support in Lion.

Safari Cookies enables the easy deletion of unwanted cookies, but it does not allow you to block cookies.

I follow MacUpdate pretty closely, and if there's an app that allows you to block cookies I've not only never noted it, but I, too, would like to know what it is.

As it stands, I use Safari Cookies to set "Favorites" and delete "Non-favorites" as often as I think of it. (SC can also be set to delete "Non-favorites" when Safari is quit.)


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Blocking cookies
artie505 #18466 10/17/11 02:59 AM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Safari Cookies enables the easy deletion of unwanted cookies, but it does not allow you to block cookies.

Correct, but since there is a degree of automation in removing certain cookies upon quitting Safari, it effectively resembles blocking. tongue


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Re: Blocking cookies
alternaut #18467 10/17/11 03:18 AM
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Originally Posted By: alternaut
Originally Posted By: artie505
Safari Cookies enables the easy deletion of unwanted cookies, but it does not allow you to block cookies.

Correct, but since there is a degree of automation in removing certain cookies upon quitting Safari, it effectively resembles blocking. tongue

Retroactive blocking, so to speak?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Blocking cookies
artie505 #18495 10/17/11 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
As it stands, I use Safari Cookies to set "Favorites" and delete "Non-favorites" as often as I think of it. (SC can also be set to delete "Non-favorites" when Safari is quit.)

This may sound elementary but "How do you do that?". I've looked everywhere (I think) through my Safari Preferences and can't seem to find a place to make those settings.


ryck

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Re: Blocking cookies
ryck #18496 10/17/11 07:14 PM
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Safari Cookies is a separate app from Safari, not part of Safari's preferences.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Blocking cookies
jchuzi #18497 10/17/11 07:30 PM
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Thanks......I'll take off the dunce's cap now.


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: Blocking cookies
grelber #18744 10/27/11 06:58 PM
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grelber Offline OP
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I have noted – with considerable satisfaction/delight – and am pleased to report that by not checking/enabling "Accept third-party cookies" in the Privacy panel of Firefox's Preferences, cookies that used to have to be blocked manually (in Mozilla browser) no longer have to be (ie, they just don't show up).
Excellent. (And my previous concern has been thereby allayed.)



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