Not to be outdone by Mozilla, Google has released a new add-on for its Chrome web browser that allows users to opt-out of online advertising tracking. While Mozilla's privacy tool is still just a proposal, and involves a new HTTP header, Google's add-on uses the more practical, cookie-based approach and works today.
The Keep My Opt-Outs add-on works like a very persistant cookie, but this one is working in your favor. The add-on uses Chrome's internal cookie APIs to set the opt-out flag for each advertising network that participates in the opt-out program created by the ad industry. Not only is it easier than setting those cookies yourself, the add-on ensures that, even if you clear the rest of your cookies, the opt-out cookies remain intact.
While it works, Google's approach is something of a hack. The add-on intercepts and rewrites cookies, which is not exactly an ideal solution. Still, if you're a Chrome user and you've been looking for a way to stop advertising cookies today, the Keep My Opt-Outs add-on has you covered.
Keep My Opt-Outs also makes a viable alternative to ad-blockers, particularly for those concerned that ad-blocking add-ons are denying their favorite sites much needed revenue. Provided you don't mind a few advertisements here and there, using the new add-on in conjunction with some smart cookie settings, you can support your favorite sites without forfeiting your privacy. And for those that do use ad blockers, keep in mind that just because the ad is not shown, doesn't always mean it can't set cookies.
In the long term, Mozilla's header-based approach to stopping cookie-based tracking is a better solution, and we expect, if the idea catches on, Chrome and other browsers will support it as well. For those who want something that works today, Google's new add-on fits the bill.
Footprints photo by Vinoth Chandar/Flickr/CC
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