Cookies - can they be avoided?

[Big Boy]

A few months ago, I was complaining that I kept getting annoying adverts pop up in the corner of my computer screen, and the only way I could get rid of them was to click the advert, and immediately delete the tab. It turned out to be cookies I was accepting to read news articles.

It now seems that nearly every news agency in the world is using these same cookies. Basically, if you want to read the news, you have to accept the cookies. If you accept the cookies, you are basically accepting the advertising - yes, I realise these cookies are being used to generate cash for the news organisation. The adverts then continue relentlessly until you cleanse your computer.

It is getting to the stage where I'm avoiding news because I don't want to cleanse my computer of cookies several times a day.

Is there a simple way to avoid these cookies please?

[Lost]

Using chrome you can turn them off in the settings then 'site settings'. Top right next to address bar.

I guess other browsers must have similar.

Edit. Having tried that, I can no longer look at sites anymore. 'Must Accept Cookies To Continue'.

Probably not the solution.

[PeteC]

You can use a browser with an Ad Blocker and a Tracker Blocker as exampled. Below is from Opera. No idea If Crome or Firefox has the same or similar.

Screen Shot 2020-05-31 at 10.48.40 AM.png (49.47 KiB) Viewed 771 times

You're not blocking Cookies because as Lost said, you'll stop being able to see sites if you do. You have the Cookies but the above options allows you to block the ads the cookies are trying to make you see.

Some sites (very few) will detect that you are using an ad blocker and won't allow you to view the page unless you turn the Blocker off.

[PeteC]

Ad Blocker for Chrome from the Chrome Web Store:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... kkbiglidom

Add Blockers for Firefox from their Add On page:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... r-firefox/

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... -ultimate/

[dtaai-maai]

How wonderful! No more vomit-inducing earwax ads...

[Lost]

If we use ad blockers, doesn't that stop you guys at huahinforum receiving any money from our visits? Ads bring income, no?

[PeteC]

Yes. My above example is how I have it set for the Forum, allowing ads. You have to click on the ads for the forum to get anything and even then it's pennies, and over a year's time not even enough to pay the bills.

[Big Boy]

OK guys, thank you very much. I had an ad blocker installed, but switched off (one of the ones PeteC recommended). I've switched it back on, so will see if that stops these pesky ads popping at the most inopportune moments.

[HHTel]

I have an ad blocker running all the time in Chrome. As has been said, there are some sites that can detect that an ad blocker is running, usually accompanied by a request to turn it off. There is an option to 'pause on this site' which I've found works without switching it off permanently.

[Big Boy]

Well, the ad blocker wasn't the answer.

[Spitfire]

Use Firefox browser but replace Google search with DuckDuckGo search as it's much more privacy orientated. Can all be sorted in settings and cookies auto-deleted/no tracking et al along with other stuff too etc. Use the Firefox add-on Adblocker Ultimate and you won't see the tsunami of ads on every site ... really quite good actually.

[Chazz14]

I've been using Brave browser https://brave.com/features/ for several months now with no problems....

You have the option to block all ads and trackers. You can opt back in to receive ads based on your browsing history - these are displayed on the Home screen.

Brave maintain that pages load faster as they are stripped of the ads.

[dtaai-maai]

Use Firefox browser but replace Google search with DuckDuckGo search as it's much more privacy orientated. Can all be sorted in settings and cookies auto-deleted/no tracking et al along with other stuff too etc. Use the Firefox add-on Adblocker Ultimate and you won't see the tsunami of ads on every site ... really quite good actually.

Yes, I downloaded Duck...etc when I got the Firefox ad blocker. It undoubtedly improves privacy, but I use Google a lot for work, and I'm not yet convinced Duck..etc is as thorough, it has missed a couple of things picked up by Google.

Well, the ad blocker wasn't the answer.

Well, all I can say is that it's blocking 6 ads as I look at this page (using Firefox).

[laser]

If the cause is some cookie then set the browser to accept cookies for the session only, so they'll be deleted on exit. But making expections (for auto logins) is a pain, so you may want to use one of these extensions for Opera:
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/ ... g-cookies/
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... mamedcbeod
For the latter ( a good idea considering the large number of Chrome extensions) first add this extension
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/ ... xtensions/

To deal with the annoying cookie policy clicks on Eu sites try this:
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/ ... t-cookies/

I prefer to browse with Javascipt off but that won't work for many sites. For convenient on/off script toggling see https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/ ... n-and-off/
Then check this forum with script off and see no adverts.
Opera's built-in blocker is rough, so currently I'd recommend uBlock Origin:
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/details/ublock/
Al these can be disabled or removed easily so worth exploration.

[Big Boy]

Well, all I can say is that it's blocking 6 ads as I look at this page (using Firefox).

Yes, for blocking ads like that it is very efficient. I actually don't mind ads like those - I can simply ignore them.

The ads I don't like are the ones that pop up in the bottom corner (resembling 'new mail has arrived.' The only way to get rid of them is to click them, and as soon as they start loading on a new tab, delete them. One cookies have been accepted, the annoying pop-up appears every couple of hours. The easiest way to avoid is not to accept news site cookies. However, the problem comes when its a news article I want to read.

I currently have 2 options, either don't accept the cookies/read the news article or accept the cookies/cleanse the laptop. Both are simply niggles that don't take long to resolve, but it would be nice to use my laptop without them.

laser, thank you very much for your comprehensive reply, but I'm afraid it sounds too complicated for me.

Does nobody else get bothered by this niggling problem?