Safari: I can't block cookies

[kevs1]

Can someone help here? In Safari, I have always block for cookies (privacy, always block),
and yet whenever I click on Manage Website Data, stuff always comes up.

And to boot, this happen neven in a private window. Completely baffled. Thanks.

 

[KALLT]

‘Website data’ includes caches, which are not affected by your cookie preference.

 

[kevs1]

Thanks, Kall, this says doing that removes both cache and cookies?

https://www.google.com/search?q=clear+cookies+in+safari&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I have set to always block, yet click manage data, and I see cookies in there

 

[QzzB]

Thanks, Kall, this says doing that removes both cache and cookies?

https://www.google.com/search?q=clear+cookies+in+safari&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I have set to always block, yet click manage data, and I see cookies in there

The cache is just website data such as images which speeds up website browsing. If you don't want to keep a cache then using private browsing should fix that.

Private browsing deletes everything when you close the browser. So if it did keep a cookie, then it will disappear when you quit safari.

Bear in mind cookies are often needed if you login to most websites. It keeps your session information so blocking so aggressively could stop some things from working.

 

[kevs1]

Qzz, interesting, did not know that.
So you are saying that I open a window in private, whether Safari Chrome, and initially a cookie is dropped, but when I close, Google, wont know my post or query came from same computer next time?

That explains why sometimes I open in Private and see a google cookie? It's the close that matters?

 

[QzzB]

Little confused over what you are attempting to achieve.

If the site uses cookies, then yes it will not know. When using private browsing the cookies, logins and history is cleaned.

However if the website tags your posts with your IP address then it might still know - does depend how the website work. For example, wikipedia used to log your IP address of changes to stop corporations changing their entires from their networks.

More info on Private browsing is on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_mode

 

[kevs1]

Thanks the Wiki page you posted says:

"Privacy mode will also disable the storage of data in cookies and Flash cookies. This privacy protection is only on the local computing device as it is still possible to identify frequented websites by associating the IP address at the web server.[2]"

I'm more concerned with Google:

But if I'm in private, the IP is not tagged, right?

If I'm in private, can google see cookies from times I browsed without private?

 

[QzzB]

No IP is your public IP, the only way to mask would be to use a VPN service.

Every connection to the internet has a IP address, its how the web works. Web servers have to be able to know what it is to respond to your request. You can see it by visiting a website such as https://www.whatismyip.com

If your concerned about google, the simple solution would be to use an alternative, such as duckduckgo.com which doesn't do any form of tracking

 

[kevs1]

YEs of course IP, but cookies, same question for cookies:

If I'm in private, can google see cookies from times I browsed without private?


But for IP duckduckgo.com, Google would just consider that a proxy then?

 

[QzzB]

No, Cookies are removed when you close the browser as explained before.

Google is a totally different website, so using duckduckgo has nothing to do with google as it is a totally different search engine and website

 

[kevs1]

Thanks Q, "Cookies are removed when you close the browser as explained before"

And that should apply to all the major browsers, regardless of whether mobile or desktop?

 

[QzzB]

Yes, as per the link, thats how private browsing works in all browsers

 

[kevs1]

Thanks Q, ok great, I've bothering with clearing cache after making the private window, so that is a waste of time. This info saves that step.

 

[kevs1]

Q others, someone posted this on another thread:

https://thehackernews.com/2017/02/cross-browser-tracking.html

Do you buy this? That Google will know its me, my computer even in private mode?

"You might be aware of websites, banks, retailers, and advertisers tracking your online activities using different Web "fingerprinting" techniques even in incognito/private mode, but now sites can track you anywhere online — even if you switch browsers.
"

or is this BS?

 

[997440]

It appears that it's probably true but hasn't been (as far as I know) independently proven yet.

Repeat of the story here including links to more sites regarding canvas fingerprinting -- http://www.ghacks.net/2017/02/14/researchers-develop-cross-browser-fingerprinting-technique/

MR thread including link to creepy site that demonstrates fingerprinting -- https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ing-of-your-online-behaviour-visible.2016798/

 

[kevs1]

But they don't have a definitive cookie right? Just other subjective items. So they/ Google never really knows...

Is there anything I should do on my iphone to combat this?

 

[QzzB]

I think that if your that concerned then just don't use the site! Lets face it, for some sites its how they make money, analytics. What is it your trying to protect against exactly, as you seem to be very overly paranoid about trying to stop google knowing what your searching. have you even thought of just using another search engine! Already suggested Duck Duck Go, who publicly say that they do not track you!

 

[kevs1]

Q just using Google as a example as they are smartest ones out there. So

 

[QzzB]

I think you might be over thinking it. yes some websites track - but do you really care?? If you care that much, and are that worried about people finding out personal information then I would avoid using the net!

If you are seriously that paranoid about all of this, then you need to start looking at things such as Tor browsing and Talis - if it was a simple as just turning off a setting and there is no way advanced code in websites can identify you - then there wouldnt be such things as Tor. Cookies are also the oldest technologies on browsers, these days I would imagine they log the behaviour directly into their databases, so looks like cookes are the lest of your worries. Ultimately Cokes are a file on your machine - so I'm sure they have more advanced ways of knowing its you.

Think ultimately, making sure passwords and sites you give your data to is more of a safeguard than worrying about search results or history on your browser

 

[997440]

I agree with @QzzB about DuckDuckGo.

You can really drive yourself crazy with this stuff. I'm not saying it's illegitimate to do your best to secure yourself to the best of your ability and motivation. Many people don't give a hoot about the issue. On the other hand, you don't want to scare yourself into paralysis. If you need to use your mobile device for personal actions, you can only continually do the best that you can do to protect yourself, then make peace with it.

Here's two testing sites that will aid you in deciding how far you want to go with this in regard to tracking. They provide a good starting point for further research and improvement. You can test before and after changing device and software configurations.
https://panopticlick.eff.org/
https://browserleaks.com/

Here's a decent article on Browser Fingerprinting which includes efforts you can make to reduce its impact.
https://vpncritic.com/browser-fingerprint-how-to-reduce-it/

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Do you use the Safari Cookies extension?

Although it cannot "block" them from coming in, it CAN remove them when you quit Safari.

It will also maintain a "whitelist" of cookies that you DO wish to keep around, deleting all others when you close Safari.

I realize this isn't a complete solution, but it will keep your System clean from unwanted cookie "accumulation" ...

 

[kevs1]

Thanks guys, are there browsers one can download for desktop and iphone that don't have fingerprint?

Q I tried to PM you to go over exactly what I'm trying to achieve in depth, but profile no possible, if can PM me, I'd love to communicate that. Great info you have been providing. Thanks.
[doublepost=1487867894][/doublepost]Same thing Rshrugged, great info, if you can PM me I'll like to describe goals offline.

 

[997440]

Thanks guys, are there browsers one can download for desktop and iphone that don't have fingerprint?

[...]

Because fingerprinting depends upon JavaScript, partial solutions include --
Run your browsers with the JavaScript setting set to disabled. Not very practical.
Use a script blocker --
In desktop Safari, something like uBlock Origin. It's at beta.
In desktop Fx, NoScript and uBlock Origin.
Do some research on their capabilities. It will cost you some time to learn about and use them.

In iOS, Safari has a variety of content blockers. I haven't tried but one. I'm not sure how capable any particular one is in regard to script blocking. I tried the browser, Brave, awhile back and had some trouble with it. I didn't spend much time with it. Recently, I reinstalled it. It has ad and tracker blockers, a script blocker and some fingerprinting protection. There's also an option to force a site to use https with the integrated HTTPS Everywhere. There's global and accessible per site, on/off settings. So far it's running well for me, even on an a5 chip iPad Mini 1; maybe a couple of minor glitches but not sure if it's my unfamiliarity with it. There's also a desktop version.

Brave was founded by the creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla Project/Foundation/Corporation, Brendan Eich. It's open-sourced.

 

[kevs1]

Thanks Rshrugged, good into, bit hairy for me to construct, maybe someone has an easier solution?

 

[kevs1]

Final question: is it possible to have 2 versions of Safari, Firefox, Chrome on your desktop/ laptop? One for normal searching, and one unmodified for more private searching?