What Are Flash Cookies?
Flash cookies were once used by Adobe Flash Player to store complex information, but these cookies are now obsolete. Learn why plus how to stop unwanted cookies from tracking you online.
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The All About Cookies editorial team strives to provide accurate, in-depth information and reviews to help you, our reader, make online privacy decisions with confidence. Here's what you can expect from us:
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Adobe shut down its Flash Player support in 2020, which means Flash no longer gets security updates. This could increase your risk if you still have Flash Player installed on your computer or visit websites that install flash cookies on your computer.[1]
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.
Total Adblock
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Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
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Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
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Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
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.
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Total Adblock
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Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
-
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
-
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
/images/2023/05/18/surfshark_pos_240px.png)
Surfshark CleanWeb Ad Blocking
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Blocks ads, banners, and pop-ups on your browser and apps, including smart TVs
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Enjoy boosted browsing speeds and save money on mobile data with its effective ad-blocking capabilities
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Added benefit of a VPN to encrypt your data, hide your IP address, avoid phishing scams, and minimize malware risks
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:
Total Adblock
-
Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
-
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
-
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
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