Cookie

One week ago today, Google disabled tracking cookies for 30 million Chrome users, amounting to just 1% of the 3 billion people who use the internet’s most popular browser. By the end of the year, Google will block these cookies entirely and replace them with a new tracking system that’s a bit more private called “Privacy Sandbox.” That will spell the death of cookies across the web, ushering in one of the biggest changes in the history of the internet. It’s early days for the project, but one company’s data offers a…

It's finally time. Google already announced that as part of its ongoing "Privacy Sandbox" initiative, it'll begin to restrict third-party cookies in Chrome starting in Q1 2024, and now, we have the exact launch date: January 4. At first, only a random one percent of Chrome users globally will see "Tracking Protection" enabled in their browser, meaning third-party cookies will be blocked by default. If you happen to be one of these lucky folks, you'll see a prompt on the address bar indicating as such, thus limiting…

Google Analytics 4 is enhancing its privacy features in preparation for the deprecation of third-party cookies next year. The platform told Search Engine Land that it is accelerating the roll out of the Protected Audiences API and is also integrating enhanced conversions.Why we care. These tools provide insights for strategic decision-making while ensuring compliance with privacy regulations, and maintaining a competitive edge in the market. Enhanced conversion integration. GA4 is integrating enhanced…

The name of the latest Metroidvania on the block may be Cookie Cutter, though its style is anything but. Originally announced as a “techno-pop-punk 2D hand-drawn Metroidvania” in June 2022, developer Subcult Joint’s game is now set for a December 14 launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.  The story of Cookie Cutter finds an android named Cherry on a ragin’ quest to rescue her creator, Doctor Shinji Fallon. To do so she’ll have to take on a “deranged mastermind” with her brawling skills and a handful of…

Cameo has added a pair of timeless superstars to its stable of celebrities (a term used loosely in some cases) available for personalized video greetings. Cookie Monster and Elmo, who may or may not have fallen on hard times, will shamelessly plug their services on the six-year-old platform, offering to count to your kid’s age or rattle off words that start with the same letter as your child’s name — for $25 a pop. Perhaps that relatively low price for the Sesame Street icons is because humans don’t appear to record their…

A change to the way WebKit handles some internet cookies means that Safari 16.4 will invalidate them more frequently in the name of privacy. But that could also mean that users have to log into their accounts more often as well.The change, which is built into the underlying WebKit browser engine and implemented as part of the recent Safari 16.4 release, isn't specifically mentioned in Apple's release notes. But it's been spotted by WebKit experts and shared on Twitter.WebKit developers say that the change is designed to…

Next year, Google will get rid of third-party cookies, the tracking tool marketers and data hogs have used to follow you around the web since 1994. To replace the cookie, Google has an offering for the world. It’s called “Privacy Sandbox,” a set of proposed changes to Chrome and Android which—according to the company—will establish a targeted advertising system that’s much better for your privacy. This could fundamentally transform how any company makes money on the internet, and just about everyone, whether they love…

Stop it. Seriously, just don’t do it. Step away from the mixing bowl with your hands up. Put the wooden spoon on the counter—no, do NOT lick it. If you’re considering snacking on unbaked cookie dough, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is once again—for the millionth time—asking you to reconsider.The Science of Splitting Oreos The agency has issued an update in an ongoing probe of a multi-state Salmonella outbreak linked to 12 people getting sick and three hospitalizations. CDC investigators zeroed in on the…

Mozilla has released Firefox 111 for Android. The latest update for the popular web browser brings a built-in PDF viewer and Total Cookie Protection, a privacy feature that blocks cross-site tracking by default. The company has also fixed a few quirky bugs and security issues.Firefox for Android gains Total Cookie ProtectionMozilla debuted Total Cookie Protection as an optional privacy feature for private windows in June 2021. In February last year, the company rolled out the feature to everyone on Windows and Mac and…

How many times have you experienced this scenario? You go shopping online for a new shirt, speaker or other item. You click on the same one a few times and then decide against it. Suddenly every website you visit has an ad featuring that item, imploring you to reconsider. In an effort to create greater privacy online, Mozilla is now rolling out Total Cookie Protection (TCP) as the default setting on the Firefox app for Android after initially making it available for Firefox users on Windows, Mac, and Linux.  So, what does…