Protecting the privacy of website visitors should be high on the list of priorities for any website administrator, if for no other reason then to comply with UK Data Protection legislation.

Privacy protection should also be high on the list of priorities for website visitors.

To this end website visitors should inform themselves about how to prevent third party cookies (and trackers) from loading when they visit any one website.

In this article we share with you some of the steps we have taken to help inform visitors to our own website.

And how website visitors can identify and block Third Party Cookies from snooping on their online activity.

Identify and block Third Party Cookies

Here we share how website visitors can identify and block Third Party Cookies from snooping on their online activity. 

Use Firefox as your go to web browser.

Reason: it enables quick and easy identification of any cookies loaded by any website you are visiting.

To see if there are any cookies loading, click the shield to the left of the address bar (see image below).

firefox shield

When you do you will see something similar to what is shown in the next image.

firefox website no trackers

If your website is loading third party cookies (or trackers) then you may see something rather different.

How to respond when you identify Third Party Cookies

Well, you could simply ignore the risk posed to your privacy.

But we recommend instead taking action.

For example,

  • not using any script or extension which loads third party cookies;
  • disabling the loading of third party cookies if this is possible (by tweaking the extension's settings in your website's Dashboard);
  • seeking and then using alternative scripts and/or extensions which do not load third party cookies.

If you cannot or decide not to remove the extension or script which risks your visitors' privacy then you could instead:

  • inform website visitors of the risk to their privacy when using your website,
  • explain why your website is using the extension or script which risks compromising their privacy, and
  • point out how they can mitigate the risk by tweaking the Security and Privacy Settings in their website browser.

You could add relevant comments and advice to your website's Cookie Policy statement.

And display prominent links in your website to the Cookie Policy, for example:

  • on your website's Home Page,
  • in a message displayed prominently in your website's Cookie Bar (if it has one - recommended),
  • adjacent to any instance which may result in visitor privacy being compromised (example: wherever a Google Translate module is displayed).

 

JOOMLERS.UK is sponsored by WYNCHCO Solutions

We help and support managers responsible for Joomla! CMS websites in UK business, academy school and third sector organisations across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North West England.

Read more: WYNCHCO Joomla! CMS Help & Support.

Protecting the privacy of website visitors should be high on the list of priorities for any website administrator, if for no other reason then to comply with UK Data Protection legislation.

Privacy protection should also be high on the list of priorities for website visitors.

To this end website visitors should inform themselves about how to prevent third party cookies (and trackers) from loading when they visit any one website.

In this article we share with you some of the steps we have taken to help inform visitors to our own website.

And how website visitors can identify and block Third Party Cookies from snooping on their online activity.

Identify and block Third Party Cookies

Here we share how website visitors can identify and block Third Party Cookies from snooping on their online activity. 

Use Firefox as your go to web browser.

Reason: it enables quick and easy identification of any cookies loaded by any website you are visiting.

To see if there are any cookies loading, click the shield to the left of the address bar (see image below).

firefox shield

When you do you will see something similar to what is shown in the next image.

firefox website no trackers

If your website is loading third party cookies (or trackers) then you may see something rather different.

How to respond when you identify Third Party Cookies

Well, you could simply ignore the risk posed to your privacy.

But we recommend instead taking action.

For example,

  • not using any script or extension which loads third party cookies;
  • disabling the loading of third party cookies if this is possible (by tweaking the extension's settings in your website's Dashboard);
  • seeking and then using alternative scripts and/or extensions which do not load third party cookies.

If you cannot or decide not to remove the extension or script which risks your visitors' privacy then you could instead:

  • inform website visitors of the risk to their privacy when using your website,
  • explain why your website is using the extension or script which risks compromising their privacy, and
  • point out how they can mitigate the risk by tweaking the Security and Privacy Settings in their website browser.

You could add relevant comments and advice to your website's Cookie Policy statement.

And display prominent links in your website to the Cookie Policy, for example:

  • on your website's Home Page,
  • in a message displayed prominently in your website's Cookie Bar (if it has one - recommended),
  • adjacent to any instance which may result in visitor privacy being compromised (example: wherever a Google Translate module is displayed).

 

JOOMLERS.UK is sponsored by WYNCHCO Solutions

We help and support managers responsible for Joomla! CMS websites in UK business, academy school and third sector organisations across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North West England.

Read more: WYNCHCO Joomla! CMS Help & Support.