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Google joins the privacy fray, offers up extension that blacklists tracking cookies
Hot on the heels of Mozilla's proposed Do Not Track solution, Google has launched Keep My Opt-Outs, an extension that blocks tracking cookies from targeted advertising providers.The extension, which is simply a free download from the Chrome Web Store, takes an utterly brute-force approach to the problem. It has a blacklist of known targeted advertisers, and it simply blocks any cookies originating from their domains. The blacklist will be regularly updated as advertising companies adopt the industry's self-regulated privacy standards.
Google notes that the extension is only targeted at U.S.-based ad companies, but a blacklist with European and international advertisers is in the works. The extension will also soon be updated to provide granular control over which cookies are kiboshed, so you'll be able to pick and choose which sites get to show you targeted advertising.
Comments
8
Subscribe to commentsjkroederJan 24th 2011 7:41PM
Couldnt you just block third party cookies?
Sebastian AnthonyJan 24th 2011 7:46PM
@jkroeder Yep, it's even noted in the extension's description:
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Chrome already offers the ability to block third-party cookies (http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95647). But it’s important for users to understand that data collection and personalization of ads can also be done directly by the websites you visit — regardless of your cookie settings.
PeteJan 24th 2011 9:29PM
@jkroeder
And be unable to visit a lot of sites.
ProlornJan 25th 2011 2:20AM
@Pete Actually, blocking third-party cookies without exception has not given me any noticeable problems thus far. I do remember a few occasions in the past where I had to enable them for certain websites, but the last time I had to do so was well over a year ago.
I don't know how much good this does for me, though, but so far it doesn't seem to have done any harm.
TabledrummerJan 24th 2011 9:00PM
You should try the extension "Ghostery" which is available for Firefox, Safari and Chrome. It does the same and works like a charm (even with European providers).
Sebastian AnthonyJan 25th 2011 5:55AM
@Tabledrummer Thanks for the tip!
I was going to say... there's no way this is the first time an ad-cookie-blocking an extension has been created :)
SilverWaveJan 26th 2011 1:54AM
if you have ABP this is an option:
Add EasyPrivacy to Adblock Plus
http://easylist.adblockplus.org/en/
Oh and here is some useful stuff for ff3.6
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/collections/silverwav/silverwav_hack/
Sebastian AnthonyJan 26th 2011 4:20AM
@SilverWave Good tips, thanks!