Is there a way to accept cookies only from specific sites?

[MacBH928]

Every website I visit seems to have installed a cookie on my computer and I see no reason for this, I don't want those files on my computer. Some websites like MacRumors and Amazon.com where my login information is stored is ok, but I don't need cookies from Wikipedia , imgur, and dummies.com.

I am looking for a solution even though I click "accept cookies" it will put them in a trash bin somewhere, faking the acceptance. I am using Safari, other browser solutions are accepted too.

 

[glawrie]

Use a recent version of Firefox as your web browser. Firefox includes effective default privacy and tracking protections, and also the options to set custom levels of protection, and set per-site policies (such as reject all cookies, or accept all cookies). More about custom protections here. Download Firefox from here.

HTH

 

[adrianlondon]

Awful, non-granular cookie management is the main reason I moved from Safari (once Safari Cookies via SIMBL stopped working) to Firefox.

Most people seem not to care too much about cookies, and rely on standard browser privacy functions, but I like to feel more in control. Firefox has a setting whereby all cookies, apart from those manually marked, are deleted when the browser is quit. It also has something called Containers, which ring-fence cookies. For example, you can put Facebook in a container and nothing, apart from Facebook, can read any cookies it writes.

To be fair, I think this is more to cater to my controlling personality than any actual privacy benefit

 

[revmacian]

Use a recent version of Firefox as your web browser. Firefox includes effective default privacy and tracking protections, and also the options to set custom levels of protection, and set per-site policies (such as reject all cookies, or accept all cookies). More about custom protections here. Download Firefox from here.

HTH

I would like to continue using things like iCloud Tabs, iCloud Keychain and Handoff/Continuity. Does Firefox allow things like that? if not, then I won't give up Safari.. but I'd still like to manage cookies better. What is out there as far as cookie management for those of us who don't want to cripple our seamless macOS/iOS experience?

 

[adrianlondon]

Safari is much better integrated into MacOS/iOS than Firefox. I've replaced keychain with bitwarden. It has other advantages over keychain rathen than just Firefox support, but I would have stuck with keychain otherwise.

Firefox doesn't use iCloud. So no keychain (need to use a third party password manager, or Firefox's built-in one), no iCloud tabs (Firefox syncs between MacOS and iOS but not as smoothly) and there's no handoff/continuity. If you use all those things you're stuck with Safari.

You could try this:

Cookie by SweetP Productions

More privacy, better browsing

cookieapp.com

 

[revmacian]

Safari is much better integrated into MacOS/iOS than Firefox. I've replaced keychain with bitwarden. It has other advantages over keychain rathen than just Firefox support, but I would have stuck with keychain otherwise.

Firefox doesn't use iCloud. So no keychain (need to use a third party password manager, or Firefox's built-in one), no iCloud tabs (Firefox syncs between MacOS and iOS but not as smoothly) and there's no handoff/continuity. If you use all those things you're stuck with Safari.

You could try this:

Cookie by SweetP Productions

More privacy, better browsing

cookieapp.com

Thank you for that link. There is also the possibility of learning to use the Private Window functionality in Safari.. it doesn't keep all of the useless garbage that websites force upon visitors.

 

[Fishrrman]

Safari won't "selectively prevent" cookies from being "placed", but...

... if you use the shareware app named "Cookie", you can selectively DELETE all but the cookies you want retained -- along with other browser data as well.

I have Cookie set to run each time Safari quits. It will delete:
- tracking cookies
- non-favorites
- cache
- history
- favicons
- webpage previews
- form values
- downloads
- website preferences

I have Cookie set to do ALL of the above, with the exception of website preferences, which I keep around.

Thus, every time I open up Safari, all of the above are gone!
No "history" on my Mac...

 

[Erehy Dobon]

.

 

[katbel]

Safari won't "selectively prevent" cookies from being "placed", but...

... if you use the shareware app named "Cookie", you can selectively DELETE all but the cookies you want retained -- along with other browser data as well.

I have Cookie set to run each time Safari quits. It will delete:
- tracking cookies
- non-favorites
- cache
- history
- favicons
- webpage previews
- form values
- downloads
- website preferences

I have Cookie set to do ALL of the above, with the exception of website preferences, which I keep around.

Thus, every time I open up Safari, all of the above are gone!
No "history" on my Mac...

I made few systems ago an Automator app that every time I quit safari clean everything you just listed above and my history is gone. I have to update the preferences and permissions every time I upgrade my system but the base is the same. Mojave made it a little more complicated because of all the security but it works there too. If you are interested I could show you how to do it .

 

[adrianlondon]

Therefore, for visiting random sites on my two Macs and one Windoze box I use a different browser (Chromium in my case) in Incognito Mode. When I quit the browser, it's all gone.

Safari also has a Private Browsing mode, and in settings this can be made the default. I've not tried but it could be possible to have Safari in "normal" mode and then install Safari Tech Preview to run in "private" mode.

 

[MacBH928]

These solutions are just workarounds... its no use. We need built in solutions. I don't see why each website I visit installs a cookie on computer. I can understand it for websites where I have accounts, but otherwise I don't want your cookie in my computer.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"These solutions are just workarounds... its no use. We need built in solutions. I don't see why each website I visit installs a cookie on computer. I can understand it for websites where I have accounts, but otherwise I don't want your cookie in my computer."

Well, that's the way things work:
You visit a site, it's probably going to put one or more cookies on your drive.

But I agree with your idea of "built-in solutions".
I would like to see better cookie management built right into Safari's preferences.
Perhaps a separate "cookie" pane (in Safari's preferences) which would permit the user to:
- designate websites individually for which cookie info is retained (whitelist)
- removed ALL cookies other than those placed by preferred websites
- reject cookies from designated websites
- clear out various other info with the close of each browsing session (such as the cache, favicons, etc.)

But I WOULD NOT be optimistic about Apple including this any time soon.

Hence, this is why you (as a user) have to find your own solutions.
Hence, my reference to the excellent "Cookie" utility in reply 7 above.

 

[MacBH928]

OP wrote:
"These solutions are just workarounds... its no use. We need built in solutions. I don't see why each website I visit installs a cookie on computer. I can understand it for websites where I have accounts, but otherwise I don't want your cookie in my computer."

Well, that's the way things work:
You visit a site, it's probably going to put one or more cookies on your drive.

But I agree with your idea of "built-in solutions".
I would like to see better cookie management built right into Safari's preferences.
Perhaps a separate "cookie" pane (in Safari's preferences) which would permit the user to:
- designate websites individually for which cookie info is retained (whitelist)
- removed ALL cookies other than those placed by preferred websites
- reject cookies from designated websites
- clear out various other info with the close of each browsing session (such as the cache, favicons, etc.)

But I WOULD NOT be optimistic about Apple including this any time soon.

Hence, this is why you (as a user) have to find your own solutions.
Hence, my reference to the excellent "Cookie" utility in reply 7 above.

yes something like that on desktop and mobile would be great, I don't see why its an issue for not implementing it seems like a simple job and the gains are many.