GDPR and ePrivacy Directive regulations have changed the face of web browsing. The majority of sites that you visit daily are required to obtain your explicit consent for the use of cookies or trackers. And in accordance, you are now bombarded with huge pop-up banners asking for your permission almost everywhere.
Luckily, there's a nifty browser extension that automatically blocks cookie warning notifications from showing up. Sounds awesome, right? So without further ado, let's check it out.
I don't care about cookies
I Don't Care About Cookies is an extension (aptly named too) that provides the ability to directly block pop-ups related to cookies and privacy controls. The add-on supports desktop versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, as well as the Android version of Firefox. Opera on Android has its built-in surprise which you will discover as we go along.
If you are using another browser such as Microsoft Edge or Safari, you are also out of luck. The developers of I Don't Care About Cookies have been considerate enough to provide a list of filters that you can add to the Adblock Plus ad blocking extension, which then removes cookie and tracker warnings that way.
While I Don't Care About Cookies won't block all cookie banners (especially some of the more complex privacy-related pop-ups), it works great on the most popular sites you come across.
But keep in mind that instead of just hiding cookie warnings, the extension accepts them. This means that you are effectively consenting to cookies and trackers being used to monitor your activities. After all, you just don't care about cookies.
Chromium
Install I Don't Care About Cookies from the Chrome Web Store. The extension does not require any configuration and in the future, sites that offer cookie notification banners should no longer display them.
If you come across a site that still shows cookie warnings, consider reporting it to the extension developers – click the "I don't care about cookies" icon next to the URL bar and use the option Report a cookie warning to do so.
Point:
If you also want to block cookie warnings when browsing in incognito mode, you need to specify the extension to do so – click Manage extensions in the I don't care about cookies menu, then enable the toggle next to Allow in private browsing.
Unfortunately, the Android and iOS versions of Chrome do not support add-ons, so your experience of blocking cookie notifications is limited to desktop computers only.
firefox
Install I Don't Care About Cookies via Firefox Add-ons and you will no longer see any cookies or privacy warnings.
The cookie-shaped icon in the upper right corner of the screen indicates that the extension is operational. Click it, and you also have the option to report a problematic site.
Since Firefox enables add-ons for its incognito windows by default, you shouldn't have to worry about enabling the add-on separately for such instances, like on Chrome.
The Android version of Firefox also supports the extension. Just use the Download button above, hit Add to Firefox on the I Don't Care About Cookies page, and that's it.
To note:
Opera
Install I Don't Care About Cookies through the Opera Add-ons website and you're instantly set for a cookie-free experience.
To use the extension on private windows, open the Opera Extensions panel, then check the box next to Allow in private mode under I don't care about cookies. The Options button listed just above also provides immediate access to a whitelist that you can use to block the extension from running on specific sites.
To note:
When it comes to the Android version of Opera, you don't need to rely on add-ons to get the job done. Opera has its cookie notification blocker built in, which is pretty cool.
To access it, tap Settings in the Opera menu, tap Ad Blocking, then turn on the switch next to Block Cookie Dialogs. Unlike the I Don't Care About Cookies extension, Opera simply disables cookie warnings without accepting them.
However, you can also prompt the browser to accept warnings by checking the box next to Automatically Accept Cookie Dialogs.
To note:
Adblock Plus filter lists
Although the I Don't Care About Cookies extension is not available outside of Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, you can instead use a list of filters for browsers that support Adblock Plus. If you don't have the ad blocker extension installed, get it from your browser's add-ons store.
Finished? Now just add the filter list from the I Don't Care About Cookies site to Adblock Plus. The Add Filter List button above should make this a snap – click it, then click Yes, use this filter list option when prompted to start using the filter list.
The filter list isn't as versatile as the I Don't Care About Cookies extension. However, this still allows Adblock Plus to filter out many annoying cookie notifications.
What a hot mess!
The GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive have had a huge impact. Sites can't just abuse their (mostly EU) users with tons of tracking cookies without explicit permission. But is this really the case? Aren't some pop-ups too big or deliberately boring? One could argue that this is due to fear of the heavy penalties that non-compliance can incur – fines of up to 4% of global revenue or $20 million, whichever is greater, are not feasible .
But there is apparently another side to the coin. Most overly large notifications actually attempt to “force” our consent. And they don't go away unless you click that big, shiny I accept button. So that's when you need to resort to an extension like I Don't Care About Cookies just so you can have a decent online experience. Maybe these regulations don't work after all. It is food for thought.