Problems with FireFox Cookies: G Cookies can't be removed; How do you manage them?

[Clint1]

I was having problems logging into YouTube with only FireFox:

I partially found out the problem. For some idiotic reason, YouTube forces you to accept G Cookies on your PC when using FireFox! I have them blocked in IE, yet in IE it doesn't matter! That makes no sense at all.

Even when allowing the G Cookies, I have to click the "Upload" link in order to login, the "Sign In" link still doesn't work. It always says "Your login was incorrect" even though no attempt was even made to login! :confused: This is a widespread problem I've noticed when searching for answers about this issue.

Now the next question is how to get FF to dump the G Cookies when I close it? I don't get it, the YT Cookies are dumped, and it's not even listed in the FF "Exceptions" area! Yet even when I select "Allow for session" for the G Cookie, it still remains on my PC!

And get this: I delete it, and it still COMES BACK even when I don't go to any G-related website! WTF is wrong with that satan-spawned thing??

Why can't I delete it and KEEP it OFF my HD?

I remember now this was precisely why I had to end up putting a Block on it under "Exceptions".

Background and more details:

I first noticed something strange when "IE Privacy Keeper (http://www.browsertools.net/IE-Privacy-Keeper/)" stopped deleting and managing FF Cookies. (Contrary to its name, it also works with FF). It has a "Keep selective Cookies" link in both IE and FF areas which present you a with list of Cookies presently on your PC at any given time with checkboxes next to them. The FF list suddenly went blank, totally empty. In the IE area there's a "View" link to see all
the Cookies which opens the Cookie folder, but there's never been that link in the FF area. That long ago prompted me to wonder why not, and try and find them, but I never could! Even searching for this I still cannot find where the FF Cookies are located on your PC! They are not in my Profiles" folder, nor under that "/**********.default" folder. I'm seeing people state they are in a "cookies.txt" file, but I also don't have that file!

Presumably "IE Privacy Keeper" was previously correctly managing them from the path:

C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox

...which it calls the path to the "Firefox profiles folder", because that's the only location to any FF data it provides. I tried changing that path with "/Profiles" on the end, and with "/Profiles/*******.default" on the end of it, but neither works. So the path is, or at least was correct.

So where are FF Cookies stored, and has that been changed lately maybe in the past year or so? I've been using v3.5.17, but it was this way with 3.5x.

Here's the other unexplained, malware-like problem I mentioned earlier in this post:

[U]ALL Cookies can be gone, deleted, NOTHING.

I have FF set to open to nothing, a blank "page", "Show a blank page" is selected in the drop-down menu.

I open FF, go to look at the Cookies, and what do I CONSTANTLY see? "google.com" is ALWAYS listed there! They will not go away! I delete them, close FF, open it up again, and they are back! And they never show in "IE Privacy Keeper", (nor does ANY OTHER Cookies show in IEPK. Note that IEPK also deletes ALL of the FF cache!).

In the FF "Exceptions" area for Cookies, I tried to add "google.com" for both "Allow", or "Allow for session", and either way, they always remain!

If I say "Block" for them, then FF can't login to YouTube!!!

When I do a "about:cache" in the FF toolbar, I see all kinds of google crap (among a few others) listed when I click "List Cache Entries"! Now, that number has climbed from 15 to 19! ("about:cache?device=memory" shows in the toolbar when clicking that).

This is a paste of what is listed:
===========================
Memory cache device

Number of entries: 19
Maximum storage size: 65536 KiB
Storage in use: 213 KiB
Inactive storage: 213 KiB

-------------------------------------------------------------

Key:
http://www.google.com/extern_js/f/CgJlbhICdXMrMEU4ACwrMFo4ACwrMA44ACwrMBc4ACwrMDw4AC wrMFE4ACwrMFk4ACwrMAo4AUAvmgICcHMsKzAWOAAsKzAZOAAs KzAlONCIASwrMCo4ACwrMCs4ACwrMDU4ACwrMEA4ACwrMEE4AC wrME04ACwrME44ACwrMFM4ACwrMFQ4ACwrMF84ACwrMGM4ACwr MGk4ACwrMHQ4ACwrMB04AJoCAnBzLCswXDgALCswGDgALCswJj gALIACN5ACNA/XaumWbnw46w.js
Data size: 67256 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:37
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00

Key: http://www.google.com/images/nav_logo38.png
Data size: 38686 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2012-03-21 03:41:32

Key: http://media.kallout.com/images/ko_normal.png
Data size: 27730 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2011-05-21 07:11:25

Key: http://www.google.com/images/logos/ps_logo2.png
Data size: 26209 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2012-03-21 03:41:32

Key:
http://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/rss.xml?edition=int
Data size: 10915 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:44
Expires: 2011-03-22 03:46:35

Key: http://www.google.com/
Data size: 12667 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00

Key: id=4d8860bc&uri=http://ocsp.godaddy.com/
Data size: 2386 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2011-03-22 14:01:08

Key: http://ssl.gstatic.com/gb/images/b_5dae6e31.png
Data size: 7406 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2012-03-21 03:41:32

Key:
http://www.google.com/extern_chrome/ff3e2739446bc197.js
Data size: 6615 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:37
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00

Key: http://www.google.com/images/swxa.gif
Data size: 5223 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:37
Expires: 2012-03-21 03:41:33

Key:
http://ssl.gstatic.com/gb/js/sem_937383e2fa216be90c2ff5f30dee4fc5.js
Data size: 5731 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:39
Expires: 2012-03-20 18:19:39

Key: http://media.kallout.com/images/popout2.png
Data size: 463 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2011-05-21 07:11:25

Key: https://fvd.kallout.com/fvd/?request=fvdhints
Data size: 770 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00

Key:
http://init.kallout.com/versioncheck.js?1300783295481
Data size: 182 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:36
Expires: 2011-04-18 11:25:11

Key:
http://previews.cooliris.com/ads/adPrefs.php?adId=182&installDate=1267805894000&userType=upgrade&version=3.0.1
Data size: 237 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:39
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00

Key:
http://en-us.fxfeeds.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/headlines.xml
Data size: 0 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:44
Expires: 2012-03-22 03:02:12

Key:
http://fxfeeds.mozilla.com/firefox/headlines.xml
Data size: 0 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:44
Expires: 2012-03-22 03:02:12

Key:
http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/rss/newsonline_world_edition/front_page/rss.xml
Data size: 0 bytes
Fetch count: 1
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:44
Expires: 2014-01-01 00:44:13

Key:
http://www.google.com/csi?v=3&s=webhp&action=&e=28088,28571,29014,29428&ei=u2CITafXNs-4twfmkODODg&expi=28088,28571,29014,29428&imc=2&imn=2&imp=2&rt=xjsls.68,prt.135,xjses.793,xjsee.849,xjs.865,ol .946,iml.347
Data size: 0 bytes
Fetch count: 2
Last modified: 2011-03-22 03:41:39
Expires: 1969-12-31 18:00:00
=======================================

Some noteworthy things: Some of the G data is JavaScript links (.js extensions, may not show in the URL's due to truncation, and of course you can see the others are mostly images). "Kallout.com" is apparently part of an extension, "CoolPreviews" from Cooliris, but even that STILL should be able to be deleted! I'm totally flabbergasted as to why anything from BBC is listed! This almost appears as though FF has been hacked by G and the BBC! And why is GoDaddy in there?

So, the questions:

Why can't I nor FF nor IEPK delete this data? Why does it keep coming back?

Why can't IEPK manage FF Cookies as it once did, and why is the FF Cookie list in it now empty? Yes, I have even uninstalled it then reinstalled it.

Where are the FF Cookies located?

Why can't I permanently delete these 'google.com' Cookies? Why do they keep coming back even when no webpages at all have been visited?? How do I temporarily allow google Cookies, but have them all deleted when FF is closed?

Why does FF demand a G Cookie at YouTube in order to login, but in IE 'google.com' CAN be BLOCKED?

How can all Cookies be managed in FF, the way they can be in IE?

Thanks.

[blitzen]

As I was installing a brand new PC (I was in the Mega XP world and just upgraded to the Giga 7 world), I installed FF4 and found the couple of addins that I liked.

I noticed these cookies come back. Possibly because of the Google search bar on the browser?

But, why is Facebook setting a cookie? Where is that coming from?

And, where is my Block Sites, Ask Me, and other cookie controls?

ANOTHER QUESTION about SUPER COOKIES. Since Adobe took over Flash, did they stop these annoying super cookies?

And, how can cookies be set for the facebook.com domain from your website?

[NetProwler]

May be they use Local Shared Object(LSO) which also go under the name of flash cookies. They can respawn to install more 'traditional' cookies. Many websites resort to using this LSO - youtube, gmail and yahoo are some of the sites listed in my computer when I last checked. You can control them using Adobe's Global Privacy Settings Manager from here: http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html

[martindow]

There is a FF extension called better privacy

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/

Would this help?

[Clint1]

There is a FF extension called better privacy

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/

Would this help?
That doesn't appear to do anything with typical Cookies, only Flash objects. And I can't see how to keep certain things while automatically deleting others.

[Clint1]

As I was installing a brand new PC (I was in the Mega XP world and just upgraded to the Giga 7 world), I installed FF4 and found the couple of addins that I liked.

I noticed these cookies come back. Possibly because of the Google search bar on the browser?
I'm not using FF4. I would never have any kind of search engine toolbar installed on my PC anywhere.


But, why is Facebook setting a cookie? Where is that coming from?

And, where is my Block Sites, Ask Me, and other cookie controls?

And, how can cookies be set for the facebook.com domain from your website?
This is another reason why I don't like FF. You can easily do these things in IE and easily figure out what's going on and how to save or delete Cookies, but you can't in FF.

[Clint1]

ANOTHER QUESTION about SUPER COOKIES. Since Adobe took over Flash, did they stop these annoying super cookies?


May be they use Local Shared Object(LSO) which also go under the name of flash cookies. They can respawn to install more 'traditional' cookies. Many websites resort to using this LSO - youtube, gmail and yahoo are some of the sites listed in my computer when I last checked. You can control them using Adobe's Global Privacy Settings Manager from here: http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html
Apparently in order to save any of those settings, it ironically requires a Cookie!

Get this: Even when I start FF in a "Private Browsing session", the G Cookies STILL COME BACK!

Why does anyone use FF with these kinds of problems?? :confused: What the hell is so difficult about having settings or options like "Always Keep", "Always Deny", etc., for FF Cookies?

[Clint1]

Ok I found out why the G Cookie keeps spontaneously coming back each time I start FF, it's the extension "CoolPreviews". Even when it's "Off" from its interface options it still comes back! You have to "Disable" it from the FF Extensions area in order to prevent the G Cookie! This makes no sense at all, because I have "Search" for it turned off!

So these questions still remain:

Why can't IEPK manage FF Cookies as it once did, and why is the FF Cookie list in it now empty? Yes, I have even uninstalled it then reinstalled it.

Where are the FF Cookies located?

Why does FF demand a G Cookie at YouTube in order to login, but in IE 'google.com' CAN be BLOCKED?

(And one I actually forgot to put at the bottom of my first post), How can you manage Cookies in FF like you can in IE?

[blitzen]

FF had a nice cookie manager - I could accept from a domain, deny or ask me. I used that a lot but cannot find it in FF4. IE puts cookies in a directory, but FF puts them in a file. I managed the cookies in the FF interface that was readily available.

Why? The answer is "marketing".
These sites that sell ad space rely heavily on targeted marketing because that's what marketers what. It provides more bang for the buck if you can find those who are in the market for you goods and services.

These lists of people are put into categories that marketers love to send ads to. We are a product of our marketing environment. Look at people who purchase things they really don't need, consume foods that aren't good for their health, and so forth. They can use the data to even characterize regions (thus, Google AdWords can claim to provide demographics such as gender or income by IP. They know where the IP is located and after following all the cookies, can characterize the region assigned to that IP).

We are fighting a battle that unfortunately the generic person doesn't understand the effects. This is one reason that 99% of computers are black. Marketers figured out that the majority wants black, and nowadays, it's the shiny black. You're out of luck if you want an individual personality and want a yellow, white, red, or flowered computer. IMHO, one day, we'll all be alike because we are a product of marketing. We won't have to think further when we purchase something because we won't have a choice to debate.

To win this battle we need better monitoring of these unwanted actions. Unfortunately, the upcoming generations don't seem to care or understand the implications. With age, the knowledge sets in and we become disgruntled as we learn more about how society works.

It's up to us to design programs to stop the unwanted actions by others. It's up to us to get this better regulated, but good luck with the strong-arm lobbyists that have more money than votes at the polls.

So, you good programmers out there, let's get started battling these unwanted, annoying habits of the corporatists seeking to take even more of our money.

I'm using SpywareBlaster and they load their own lists of cookies & sites to block.
I'd like something where I can add sites to block cookies.
Do you know of any effective programs to quickly block/unblock cookies from selected sites with a click of the mouse?

[Clint1]

FF had a nice cookie manager - I could accept from a domain, deny or ask me. I used that a lot but cannot find it in FF4.
Ok so where is that area in versions prior to 4?



IE puts cookies in a directory, but FF puts them in a file. I managed the cookies in the FF interface that was readily available.
But where is this "file" that FF uses? And how did you "manage" them (as I describe as IE does)?



I'm using SpywareBlaster and they load their own lists of cookies & sites to block.
Yeah I use that too. But it's either all or nothing, accept or deny. Not "allow then delete" and "Allow and keep".



I'd like something where I can add sites to block cookies.
Do you know of any effective programs to quickly block/unblock cookies from selected sites with a click of the mouse?
Well that's exactly what I'm asking. ;) Like I said, all I can see in FF is to either "Allow", "Block", or "Allow for session" (which doesn't work). It's pretty bad that it doesn't have "Always keep" for certain specific Cookies, and "Allow but delete when the browser is closed" (which should be what "Allow for session" means).

IEPK was perfect for that, but it's almost like Mozilla has somehow denied it working with FF!

[Clint1]

Anyone?

So these questions still remain:

Why can't IEPK manage FF Cookies as it once did, and why is the FF Cookie list in it now empty? Yes, I have even uninstalled it then reinstalled it.

Where are the FF Cookies located?

Why does FF demand a G Cookie at YouTube in order to login, but in IE 'google.com' CAN be BLOCKED?

(And one I actually forgot to put at the bottom of my first post), How can you manage Cookies in FF like you can in IE?