The Ad Blocker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Browser Cookies
Keeping personal information private is no small task in the internet age. Today’s advertisers rely on user data to help them do a better job of selling their products. Since modern advertising relies on your personal data, advertisers have access to a lot of information about you. Your age, location, and where you shop online are all examples of information that advertisers likely know about you.
To develop a profile of a user’s age, location, and shopping habits, most advertiser tracking relies on something known as a “cookie.” Where does the name “cookie” come from? There are many theories. Some believe that they come from the “magic cookies” part of the Unix operating system. Others believe the name originates from fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel because they used cookie crumbs to find their way.
Not all cookies are bad. Cookies store important information like login details and help make sure websites work. When you visit your bank site and it remembers your username, that’s the work of cookies. Cookies are also responsible for keeping you signed into Netflix so that you don’t have to log in again and again. But some cookies allow advertisers to track your browsing history and online behavior.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a piece of code embedded in a website that ‘drops’ itself into your browser when you visit that website. Like we mentioned, not all cookies are bad; in fact it’s safe to say that most are helpful. Helpful browser cookies store important information, such as login details and shopping cart contents. But there are some browser cookies that aren’t as helpful, such as third-party cookies. When there are third-party cookies on a website, that usually means that the cookie belongs to one of the website’s monetization partners. If the cookie belonged to the website publisher, that would be a first-party cookie. Website publishers use first-party cookies to make the user experience better. These are the cookies that keep you signed into a site or remember your shopping cart if you close your browser.
Third-party cookies are often managed by advertiser networks, which means they’re used across many websites and track your browsing behavior almost anywhere you go.
One example of this is the Facebook Pixel. Websites with a Facebook Pixel can track visitor activity on their site, then target those same users with ads when they visit Facebook. If a Facebook Pixel is on a site that you visit, Facebook can add a cookie to your browser and track your behavior. This allows Facebook to serve you with targeted ads. And since Facebook maintains such an enormous advertiser network, these cookies are difficult to avoid.
There are now regulations, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) being the best known, making websites notify you about their cookies because of this privacy concern. That’s where cookie notifications come in!
What are cookie notifications?
Cookie notifications are also known as “cookie notices” or “cookie consent notices.” They are notifications on a website that outline the types of cookies on a website, as well as how they’re used. They often give visitors the option of accepting or declining some cookies.
Due to laws like GDPR and CCPA, cookie notifications are now required for many websites. That’s great news! It means that websites can’t use cookies to track your behavior without your permission. But it also means you have to deal with cookie notification pop-ups on almost every website you visit.
In a recent AdBlock survey of the most annoying online distractions, cookie notifications were high on the list. Many folks would prefer to hide cookie notifications altogether. It is possible to hide cookie notifications, but this won’t block cookies entirely. When you hide a cookie notification, you’re ignoring it without allowing or declining permission. In this case, most websites will only install the cookies that help the site to function. But keep in mind that the way websites handle this situation varies; some sites may install cookies even if you ignore the notification.
How to hide cookie notifications
AdBlock makes it easy to hide cookie notifications. With the I Don’t Care About Cookies filter list, you can ignore annoying cookie notice pop-ups and focus on what matters to you.
Here’s how to hide cookie notifications in AdBlock for Chrome, AdBlock for Edge, or AdBlock for Firefox:
- Click the AdBlock button in the upper right-hand corner of your browser
- Select the gear symbol in the upper right-hand corner of the AdBlock menu
- Click Filter Lists from the sidebar on the left
- Under “Other Filter Lists,” enable the I Don’t Care About Cookies filter list (a blue checkmark will appear when it’s enabled)
Interested in downloading AdBlock to hide cookie notifications? Simply visit getadblock.com from the browser of your choice and click on “Get AdBlock Now.” If you run into any trouble, visit our Help Center or send us a line at help@getadblock.com. We’re always happy to hear from you!
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