Worse Than the NSA

Hi All . . .
I solely use Safari for my browser. I do nothing immoral, unethical, or illegal on my computer. So I can go to Safari>Preferences and clear my cache and reset Safari...but instantly upon closing and reopening Safari, I always get these tracking cookies loading that instantly track my internet frolicking:

doubleclick.net
scorecardresearch.com
staticflickr.com
yahoo.com
yimg.com

I constantly delete them, but I want to completely block them from even invading my computer in the first place. I have Yahoo set up as my homepage...so I understand how the last 2 constantly get reloaded and I can expect as much. What can I do about the others to permanently block them? How do you guys deal with such privacy invasion?

When you reset Safari...you may have reset some Safari preference settings as well. I would check Safari Preferences...and make adjustments as necessary.

Regarding the cookies specifically...go to:

Safari>>Preferences>>Privacy (then select the setting you prefer).

HTH,

- Nick

Here's one for Doubleclick: Opt-out completed successfully
There are others but I have lost the links. Try Google.

Thanks, Craig . . . they sure make one work for it. don't they?

Hey Nick...If I set up Safari>>Preferences>>Privacy>> NEVER allow cookies, won't that affect my iTunes somehow? I think I read that somewhere. Thanks for replying.

Brent Wilson

This should help you: https://www.ghostery.com/
Works on Safari too. Blocks all that junk.

Thanks again, Craig. I am going to dl it tonight and give it a whirl. I read through most of the available info on their site. It almost sounds too good to be true...espcially for free. But I am going to do it!

Does anybody have anything to share concerning Ghostery?

Dogbreath said:

Thanks again, Craig. I am going to dl it tonight and give it a whirl. I read through most of the available info on their site. It almost sounds too good to be true...espcially for free. But I am going to do it!

Does anybody have anything to share concerning Ghostery?

Click to expand...

Just be aware that it sometimes has adverse consequences and you may find content blocked. It's not common though, at least not in my experience.

You can also look at using a cookie manager. I use Safari Cookies:
Safari Cookies

I have had occasion where things were blocked. Just whitelist the site in Ghostery.

Install Do Not Track Me to stop yourself being tracked while online:
https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/43818/donottrackme

I second MightyGem's suggestion. I had issues with Ghostery blocking things I didn't want blocked too often. DNTM fixed that problem beautifully.

Thank you all. Hopefully some other folks with experience with these difference extensions will share their input with the pros and cons of their favorite. While looking through the links you sent, I saw Disconnect, which seems to get very great reviews...but the filtering API in Safari doesn't work as well as it does in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. One user reported a small percentage of cookies get through from Google, Youtube, Facebook even though he didn't visit them. I guess I have homework to do reviwing all of your suggestions.