Cookies. Do you usually "Accept" or "Reject" them?

I generally try to always "Reject All" cookies on most sites I visit. I'm a grumpy old sod like that.

However, it becomes very tiresome, especially when researching something and sorting out the cookies on every single website I visit ends up taking longer that the actual fact finding.

In spite of the fact that I "Save my Settings" after rejecting cookies, the web site will not "remember" my settings and I will have to repeat the whole rigmarole on my next visit. ( Why can't they just have one "cookie" that remembers that I don't want to share my data with their "partners"? )

I'm increasingly just accepting the cookies because I'm getting tired of wasting my time. Am I being unreasonably difficult in rejecting cookies? Am I missing out on a better, tailored experience?

What do you do? Any tips?

 

I accept them all then periodically delete the lot.

 

Accept them all and get on with it.

 

Like you, I always click through to cookie settings. I used to ‘reject all’ but, like you, got very tired of having to do it again every time I visited the site. So now, I tend to accept functional cookies, and reject all marketing and third party cookies. That seems to help.

And if a website doesn’t give me the options, or tells me to do it via browser settings, or presents a long and detailed list and makes you accept/reject them individually, I just don’t proceed and won’t visit those sites.

 

Yeah, I often do that too. If it seems like they are not playing fairly I just immediately abandon their site and hope that their analytics show a high "bounce rate" which they might do something about. Hard work being a curmudgeon!

 

I empathise with Wulbert as I hate these damned panels preventing one from accessing info., or at least, having a hassle trying to read. It was much better when you simply didn't know !!!!! My wife clears her cookies periodically and would do the same for me but I hate having to sign in for forums and other things I keep 'live'. This means referring to my code book which again needs deciphering 'cos I'm not digitally organised.

Few 'options' allow one to 'refuse all'; in fact, some, once you investigate, are difficult to extricate oneself. Extra rant material from an irascible panel beater here.

PS I cannot understand a website (a dealer's, e,g.) selling sth preventing one from accessing their stuff; counter intuitive at best.

 

On browser settings, I dislike the fact that Safari only gives you the option to ‘delete all’. I’d prefer to retain cookies for sites I use regularly, and purge the rest fairly regularly.

 

I like the one on The Daily Mash website. Option 1 lists various options re privacy, cookies etc, option 2 just says ‘Whatever’.

 

Accept all

 

Same for me. Strike out ‘like that’ though.

 

It’s part of the deal for a ‘free’ internet. Data has value but we are approaching a cookieless future, allegedly.

Bear in mind that if you have a smart phone you have given away your data rights when you sign on the dotted line.

 

I reject all but the "necessary" ones.

 

we love being tracked, and filmed. We have cams in every room apart from the bathroom. We monetise our movements and life.

 

‘Legitimate Interest’


What the fudge is that sheet?

I reject all that I can.

 

My attitude towards the internet is reprehensible and shallow and boils down to - you want my data for nothing, sod off. If you offer me 10% discount, where do I tick the box?

 

Yes and no. There is a world of difference between targeted advertising that is based on context ('contextual advertising') and targeted advertising that is based on tracking personal behaviour across the web and beyond. I don't mind contextual advertising, but 'tracking-based advertising' is a pernicious development that exposes personal data in ways that most people aren't aware of.

If you are interested, here is a video of Dr Johnny Ryan talking about 'real-time bidding', the auction process behind most ads on the web.

 

Yes, me too.

I used to reject them but can't say I notice much difference either way so gave up.

 

I know all about that, I work in the industry. 3rd party cookies are on the way out but Google & Facebook are holding out until 2023. Ultimately mobile phone derived data will still be around & that is probably even more pernicious.

 

I use two Firefox extensions:

• Cookie Auto-delete
  
• I don't care about cookies

The latter auto-accepts cookies everywhere while the former deletes them again as soon as I close the tab. Websites get to think they're tracking me. I don't have to see the annoying cookie banner. Everybody wins.