5 ms·

This is why I visit Facebook in one browser, G* in another, and everything else in yet a third.

by rosser 15y ago

folkster 15y ago
There is not much use switching browser. They tracks you using cookies even if you dont login(like button and other plugins) You need to block/remove all the facebook related cookies.
- untog 15y ago
  Cookies do not cross browsers. If he's using a second browser, Facebook cannot read the cookies set in the first browser. They could use some IP matching logic or something, but it would be prone to a lot of false positives.
  - jr299 15y ago
    I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store. Firefox and multiple firefox profiles isolate cookie storage and I also use Fluid on OS X to build site-specific browsers. The paid version offers a feature to isolate cookie storage within each app.
    - untog 15y ago
      "I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store." If that's true then it's utterly insane. This StackOverflow question from 2008 seems to confirm what you're saying, though: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-multiple-instances-of-webkit-without-sharing-cookies http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-mul... I really hope it isn't still the case...
    - mkjones 15y ago
      > If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store. Where are you getting this? Safari and Chrome (both built on webkit) definitely do not share cookie stores on OS X.
      - jr299 15y ago
        In my limited understanding it's the difference between the webkit engine that OS X provides to developers to use, as opposed to Chrome which probably does something different in that regard. Besides site-specific browsers, there are plenty of makeshift OS X tools that implement their own built in browser, and these applications do indeed share cookies with Safari. The easiest way to test this is with Safari and any of the OS X site-specific browser or http debugging tools.
        mkjones 15y ago
        Ah yes, you're right. I remember old versions of Spotify doing this, and it always confused me.
    - gord 15y ago
      Webkits share cookies = ouch.. so you really need a VM. New browser feature - open this site in a temp VM.
      - jr299 15y ago
        The convenience/security trade-off varies user to user, but for something as simple as FB, it might be considered overkill by most. I would encourage browsers that support isolated profiles, multiple browsers that don't share cookie storage, or using a jailed site-specific browser approach.
      - randomdata 15y ago
        These days, most browsers come with a private browsing feature, which will dump your cookies, caches (for etag tracking), etc. when you're done.
        cpeterso 15y ago
        If users must visit social websites like Facebook in privacy mode in separate browsers, perhaps they should rethink whether they should be using Facebook at all.
    - cpeterso 15y ago
      The Flash Player's "Shared Objects" (aka Flash cookies) are stored in a common directory, so the same Flash data is accessible from any browser (running as the same user). I do not believe Facebook's tracking is this nefarious, but the method would be quite easy to implement.
    - code_duck 15y ago
      Chrome, Chromium and Safari absolutely don't share the same cookies on Mac OSX. This is easily verifiable. Not sure about other browsers... (what other browsers?). I think you're referring to other applications which embed Safari's rendering engine. I wouldn't really call those browsers.
bho 15y ago
I would recommend making a Facebook VM if you really want to get on. This helps on two fronts: 1) You must REALLY want to get on facebook if you go through the extra step of booting up a VM 2) They can track all they want inside your VM since you use it ONLY for facebook. /s/facebook/any other social service you intend to use.
wedesoft 15y ago
It's much easier to just use Adblock to block third party code from Facebook and others when viewing web pages. http://www.fanboy.co.nz/ http://www.fanboy.co.nz/
toffer 15y ago
Better yet, use Fluid[1] and create a single site browser for Facebook. Make sure you use the paid version of Fluid App, so you get separate cookie storage for each SSB you set up. [1]: http://fluidapp.com http://fluidapp.com

This is why I visit Facebook in one browser, G* in another, and everything else in yet a third.

by rosser 15y ago

This is why I visit Facebook in one browser, G* in another, and everything else in yet a third.

There is not much use switching browser. They tracks you using cookies even if you dont login(like button and other plugins) You need to block/remove all the facebook related cookies.

untog 15y ago
Cookies do not cross browsers. If he's using a second browser, Facebook cannot read the cookies set in the first browser. They could use some IP matching logic or something, but it would be prone to a lot of false positives.
- jr299 15y ago
  I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store. Firefox and multiple firefox profiles isolate cookie storage and I also use Fluid on OS X to build site-specific browsers. The paid version offers a feature to isolate cookie storage within each app.
  - untog 15y ago
    "I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store." If that's true then it's utterly insane. This StackOverflow question from 2008 seems to confirm what you're saying, though: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-multiple-instances-of-webkit-without-sharing-cookies http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-mul... I really hope it isn't still the case...
  - mkjones 15y ago
    > If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store. Where are you getting this? Safari and Chrome (both built on webkit) definitely do not share cookie stores on OS X.
    - jr299 15y ago
      In my limited understanding it's the difference between the webkit engine that OS X provides to developers to use, as opposed to Chrome which probably does something different in that regard. Besides site-specific browsers, there are plenty of makeshift OS X tools that implement their own built in browser, and these applications do indeed share cookies with Safari. The easiest way to test this is with Safari and any of the OS X site-specific browser or http debugging tools.
      - mkjones 15y ago
        Ah yes, you're right. I remember old versions of Spotify doing this, and it always confused me.
  - gord 15y ago
    Webkits share cookies = ouch.. so you really need a VM. New browser feature - open this site in a temp VM.
    - jr299 15y ago
      The convenience/security trade-off varies user to user, but for something as simple as FB, it might be considered overkill by most. I would encourage browsers that support isolated profiles, multiple browsers that don't share cookie storage, or using a jailed site-specific browser approach.
    - randomdata 15y ago
      These days, most browsers come with a private browsing feature, which will dump your cookies, caches (for etag tracking), etc. when you're done.
      - cpeterso 15y ago
        If users must visit social websites like Facebook in privacy mode in separate browsers, perhaps they should rethink whether they should be using Facebook at all.
  - cpeterso 15y ago
    The Flash Player's "Shared Objects" (aka Flash cookies) are stored in a common directory, so the same Flash data is accessible from any browser (running as the same user). I do not believe Facebook's tracking is this nefarious, but the method would be quite easy to implement.
  - code_duck 15y ago
    Chrome, Chromium and Safari absolutely don't share the same cookies on Mac OSX. This is easily verifiable. Not sure about other browsers... (what other browsers?). I think you're referring to other applications which embed Safari's rendering engine. I wouldn't really call those browsers.

bho 15y ago

I would recommend making a Facebook VM if you really want to get on. This helps on two fronts: 1) You must REALLY want to get on facebook if you go through the extra step of booting up a VM 2) They can track all they want inside your VM since you use it ONLY for facebook. /s/facebook/any other social service you intend to use.

wedesoft 15y ago

It's much easier to just use Adblock to block third party code from Facebook and others when viewing web pages. http://www.fanboy.co.nz/ http://www.fanboy.co.nz/

toffer 15y ago

Better yet, use Fluid[1] and create a single site browser for Facebook. Make sure you use the paid version of Fluid App, so you get separate cookie storage for each SSB you set up. [1]: http://fluidapp.com http://fluidapp.com