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Flash cookies are obsolete, but there were many bonafide uses of flash cookies. Banks, for example, could use a flash cookie to recognize your computer and thus add a extra level of security to your account. However, these useful cookies posed a privacy risk to those who used the Flash Player plug-in.
We cover the rise and fall of flash cookies and how to avoid unwanted third-party cookies with the best ad blockers.
What were flash cookies?
Flash cookies were a type of cookie enabled by the browser plug-in Adobe Flash Player. Flash-based websites planted flash cookies (also called Locally Shared Objects or LSOs) on your computer. A flash cookie could handle more complex information than a browser cookie and was able to pass information across the different browser types you had installed on your computer.
The problem with flash cookies is that they allowed you to be tracked across websites, which posed a security risk. Subsequently, Adobe disabled Flash Player back in 2020. Previously, when you visited a Flash-enabled site, you'd get a notification asking your permission to download Flash elements. Now that Adobe prevents its Flash Player from running Flash content, you may not see this notification and might see an error message instead.
To delete flash cookies, you would need to access your website storage settings and click "delete website" or "delete all sites" to clear flash cookies.
How to stop unwanted cookies
While flash cookies are no longer around, there are still other types of cookies you may wish to block on your devices, like third-party tracking cookies.
Use an ad blocker
You can block cookies, pop-up ads, and even trackers by using an ad blocker or a virtual private network with ad-blocking capabilities. Many of the best ad blockers and VPNs include tracker blockers, which is what helps stop unwanted cookies.
Manage cookies in your browser
In tandem with using a tested ad blocker, the best way to stop unwanted cookies is by adjusting your browser's settings. We offer a comprehensive guide on how to manage cookies across all browsers.
Here are instructions for clearing cookies (as well as your browsing history and cache) on popular browsers:
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