2023 How Do I Block Flash Cookies: Expert Tell You

What are Flash Cookies and Why Should You Be Concerned?

Flash cookies, also known as local shared objects (LSOs),Local Stored Objects,store data from flash content. They can be used to track users’ preferences, browsing history and activities. You should be concerned because they can retain information even after you delete regular cookies,thus threatening your online privacy.
More comprehensive information and care guidelines can be read here.

flash, cookie, pink and blue icing coated doughnut — *Photo by* *Gabrielle Henderson* / *Unsplash*

Understanding the Risks of Flash Cookies

Flash cookies store information secretly without your knowledge. They remain even after you clear regular browser cookies and can reveal your personal information and online habits to third parties. This poses several risks:

First, tracking. Flash cookies allow websites to track your activities across different browsing sessions. They help build a profile of your browsing history and preferences over time.

Second, unwanted targeting. Since flash cookies store information persistently, websites can use them to target you with ads and content based on your previous visits. This can feel intrusive and unwanted.

Third, user profiling. By correlating the data from flash cookies with other sources, websites can build detailed profiles of users for purposes like behavior analysis and market research. This happens without users’ knowledge or consent.

Lastly, there are also privacy concerns. Many users are unaware of flash cookies and how much information they reveal. This lack of transparency is itself a privacy issue.

To summarize, flash cookies pose risks because:

They store data secretly
Persist independently of browser cookies
Allow tracking users across browsing sessions
Enable unwanted targeting and profiling
Operate without users’ knowledge or consent

Therefore, blocking flash cookies has become important for users concerned about privacy, data collection and online tracking.

flash, privacy, black flat screen tv turned on near green plant — *Photo by* *Sigmund* / *Unsplash*

How to Check if Flash Cookies Are Active on Your Browser

There are a few ways you can determine whether flash cookies [Local Stored Objects] are active on your browser:

Uninstall and reinstall Flash Player. If any websites remember your settings, user names, preferences or other details after uninstalling and reinstalling Flash Player, it likely means flash cookies are storing that information.

Check your Flash Player settings. In most browsers, you can access your Flash Player settings and check for any local shared objects (flash cookies) listed under the Privacy or Advanced tab. If you see any, that indicates Flash cookies are active.

Use a Flash cookie checker. There are several tools available online that can scan your system and detect if any flash cookies are currently stored. This is an easy way to verify if Flash cookies pose a risk for you.

Check cookie contents. If you know the IDs of specific flash cookies being used by websites, you can view their data and contents to confirm if they contain information like your account details, preferences, etc.

Clear your Flash Player data. By deleting all files, websites and data stored by Flash Player, any flash cookies will also be removed. If certain websites repopulate data after doing this, then flash cookies were likely storing that information.

In summary, by performing one of the above checks – uninstalling/reinstalling Flash Player, viewing your browser settings, using a flash cookie scanner, examining cookie contents, or clearing your Flash Player data – you can determine whether active flash cookies exist on your system. Taking these proactive steps helps you monitor your privacy and security posture related to flash cookies.

flash, privacy, angle-view of white painted building under blue sky — *Photo by* *antonella brugnola* / *Unsplash*

Simple Steps to Block Flash Cookies on Popular Web Browsers

There are simple steps you can take using the default settings of popular web browsers to block flash cookies:

Chrome:
1. Open Settings > Content settings.
2. Select Flash and click Advanced.
3. Toggle the switch next to Allowed storage to Off to block flash cookies.

Firefox:
1. Open Preferences and click Privacy & Security.
2. Under History, click Settings.
3. Select Use custom settings for history and check Disable third party cookies and site data.
4. Restart Firefox for changes to take effect.

Safari:
1. Open Preferences > Privacy.
2. Check the box next to Block cookies and Block all cookies.
3. Check the box next to Disable local storage. This blocks flash cookies.

Internet Explorer:
1. Open Internet Options menu.
2. Click General tab and under Browsing history click Settings.
3. Select the Every time I visit the webpage option under Check for newer versions of stored pages:.
4. Check the Delete cookies and saved website data box under Temporary Internet files and click OK twice.

As you can see, all major browsers make it easy to disable or block flash cookies to protect your privacy. By following the above steps for your preferred browser, you can quickly stop flash cookies from tracking your activity and storing information without your consent.

flash, privacy, green and red light wallpaper — *Photo by* *Pietro Jeng* / *Unsplash*

Additional Tips to Protect Your Privacy and Limit Flash Cookies

Beyond the basic steps to block flash cookies, there are additional techniques you can use to further limit their impact:

Clear your Flash Player data regularly. By manually deleting all your Flash cookies, stored site data and cached files from Flash Player, you can remove any that have avoided detection. Adobe outlines the process for clearing Flash Player data in their documentation.

Use incognito or private browsing mode. This can help limit the ability of flash cookies to track your activity across sessions since they are typically cleared when you close incognito windows.

Install anti-flash cookie browser extensions. Various extensions are available for browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera that can automatically detect and remove flash cookies. Some also allow blocking specific websites from using flash cookies.

Disable or uninstall Flash Player. The most thorough way to prevent flash cookies is to simply disable or uninstall Flash Player from your system. This does limit your ability to view flash content though.

Update your browser regularly. Over time, major browsers have improved their built-in flash cookie blocking capabilities. So keeping your browser up to date ensures you have the latest protections in place.

Avoid autofill features. Some browsers autofill certain fields which can actually reactivate flash cookies that were previously blocked. Manually entering data where possible limits this risk.

In summary, while the basic steps outlined earlier are effective, employing techniques like clearing your Flash Player data frequently, using incognito mode, installing anti-flash cookie extensions, and keeping your browser updated can provide even stronger protections against flash cookies and the risks they pose. A toolbox of strategies is the best approach to maintaining robust privacy against flash cookies.

flash, browsers, woman sitting on bed while using gold turned 8 Plus — *Photo by* *Samantha Gades* / *Unsplash*

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Online Privacy

While flash cookies [Local Stored Objects] offer features that benefit website functionality, they also pose risks to users’ privacy and data. This article has outlined the risks posed by flash cookies, ways to detect their presence, methods for blocking them on different browsers and additional techniques to limit their impact.

The core message is that users must take a proactive stance to maintain control over their personal information and online privacy in the current digital environment. Ignoring flash cookies does not make the risks go away; users must educate themselves and take appropriate technical measures.

The techniques discussed in this article, from the basic steps of blocking flash cookies in different browsers to more comprehensive strategies, allow users to take back some of the power in deciding what data is collected about them and how it is used. No single measure provides absolute protection, but a combination of approaches can significantly limit the privacy implications of flash cookies.

Above all, awareness is the first step to empowerment. By understanding what flash cookies are, how they threaten privacy and what can be done to block them, users gain the knowledge necessary to make better security and privacy decisions online. An informed user is better equipped to protect their data and maintain control.

To conclude, I strongly recommend users take proactive steps to block flash cookies as much as possible, clear their stored data regularly, update their browsers to patch vulnerabilities and employ other techniques discussed here. Only by taking an active role can users ensure they – not websites or advertisers – have the final say in how their personal information is handled. The tools exist; now it is up to each individual to utilize them to maintain their online privacy.

flash, privacy, a heart is shown on a computer screen — *Photo by* *Alexander Sinn* / *Unsplash*

More Helpful Guide

Frequently Asked Question

Can flash memory be rewritten?

Flash can be rewritten, but has a finite number of write/erase cycles, around 10,000-100,000, before cells wear out and can no longer be used reliably.

What is a flash drive?

A flash drive is a small data storage device that uses flash memory and a USB interface. It’s called a thumb drive or pen drive and used for file transfer.

How is flash different from SSD?

Flash and SSDs both use flash memory, but SSD is a full storage device with flash chips plus controller and interfaces. Flash is a type of memory chip.

What are the advantages of flash?

Advantages of flash include high data read speeds, mechanical and shock resistance, low power consumption, and non-volatile storage. Data is retained when power is off.