Both website creators and browser developers have worked on ways to deal with this issue. For example, they've developed a "do not track" signal that involves the browser telling sites the user doesn't want to be tracked by third-party cookies. The problem is that these solutions rely on advertisers agreeing to take heed of such signals. Now, Mozilla has taken a more drastic measure. Starting this summer, Firefox's default setting will be to simply block any cookies that don't come directly from the website the user is visiting. Now its the default. - http://www.infopackets.com/news/internet/2013/20130226_mozilla_firefox_no_more_third_party_cookies.htm
Here’s how the new patch changed the extent to which I was tracked:
Current Default:
Allow All Cookies
|
Proposed New Default:
Allow Cookies Only From Visited Domains
|
| 4 web sites used 8 first party domains |
4 web sites used 8 first party domains |
| 81 cookies from first party domains |
75 cookies from first party domains |
| 117 third party domains |
0 third party domains |
| 304 cookies from third party domains |
0 cookies from third party domains |
| Total: 385 first & third party cookies |
Total: 75 first party cookies |