Things not available when someone blocks all cookies (blog.tomayac.com)

Article summary

The article discusses how blocking cookies in a browser can affect the functionality of websites, even if they don't use cookies, due to the blocking of other storage APIs like localStorage and IndexedDB. The author shares their experience with their app SVGcode, which crashed when cookies were blocked, and lists the APIs that are blocked when cookies are disabled. The issue was resolved by adding try-catch blocks to handle potentially blocked calls. The article also touches on the topic of privacy and the trade-offs of blocking cookies.

Main themes

• cookie blocking
• privacy
• website functionality
• tracking technologies
• browser extensions
• private browsing modes
• user experience
• security trade-offs

What commenters say

• Some commenters suggest that browsers should provide a way to give each page its own fresh cookie jar that is cleared when the user navigates away, to improve privacy without breaking website functionality.
• Others argue that the solution to excessive tracking is not to normalize it, but to make it more visible to users and harder for software authors to maintain.
• A proposed solution is to use fake location data and other methods to prevent tracking, but this may not be effective and could have unintended consequences.
• Some commenters believe that the focus should be on making all users of a browser look the same, rather than trying to emulate the behavior of users who have not taken steps to protect their privacy.
• Incognito mode and other private browsing modes can provide a similar effect to blocking cookies, without the hassle of dealing with broken website functionality.
• The use of extensions like Cookie Autodelete and Temporary Containers can help to mitigate the issues caused by blocking cookies.
• Others argue that the problem is not just with cookies, but with the underlying tracking technologies, and that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the issue.
• Some commenters suggest that turning off cookies should not even be an option anymore, given the prevalence of other tracking technologies.