If you are a tech geek you know about these. Local Shared Objects AKA Flash Cookies. They are stored on your computer but your browser can't detect them. They are used for tracking info about users like you & me. yes this is what regular cookies do, but you can delete those. these you can't.
Some companies use them to re-install cookies you have deleted. That is just wrong & is the reason we are suspicious of big corporations. You can delete them through Adobe's website but who knows how to do that or have ever been on the site except to update the Flash Player?
So someone created an extension for Firefox that deletes them on exit. Better Privacy® also lists all the LSO's on your browser. It's amazing how many there were when I first installed it. Now I only have a couple that I have whitelisted because I need my e-mail, the rest are unneccessary.
Another thing about these is their size. A regular cookie is 4kb, LSO cookies are up to 100kb. That's a big difference especially if you don't have a lot of memory. I do, but I still find this to be a security issue. Mainly because these things don't expire & companies use them to track you usage, within their websites & where you go afterwards. I don't need that.
So hopefully the message gets out. Some companies including Adobe & Mozilla suggested a new API that would clear them. Apparently it hasn't been done or Firefox wouldn't need an add-on.
Some companies use them to re-install cookies you have deleted. That is just wrong & is the reason we are suspicious of big corporations. You can delete them through Adobe's website but who knows how to do that or have ever been on the site except to update the Flash Player?
So someone created an extension for Firefox that deletes them on exit. Better Privacy® also lists all the LSO's on your browser. It's amazing how many there were when I first installed it. Now I only have a couple that I have whitelisted because I need my e-mail, the rest are unneccessary.
Another thing about these is their size. A regular cookie is 4kb, LSO cookies are up to 100kb. That's a big difference especially if you don't have a lot of memory. I do, but I still find this to be a security issue. Mainly because these things don't expire & companies use them to track you usage, within their websites & where you go afterwards. I don't need that.
So hopefully the message gets out. Some companies including Adobe & Mozilla suggested a new API that would clear them. Apparently it hasn't been done or Firefox wouldn't need an add-on.
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