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What's the difference between ALLOW and ALLOW for a SESSION?

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  • Last reply by cor-el

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Under EXCEPTIONS I had to ALLOW certain websites. Then I decided to experiment and see what ALLOWED for SESSION really does.

Neither the entries for websites I allowed for a session were deleted from the list of exceptions, nor the cookies saved by these websites were deleted even when I closed the browser.

I do not see the difference in terms of what happens between selecting Allow vs. Allow for session.

Could someone who knows please explain or point me to the place that explains the difference and how this works?

Thanks.

Under EXCEPTIONS I had to ALLOW certain websites. Then I decided to experiment and see what ALLOWED for SESSION really does. Neither the entries for websites I allowed for a session were deleted from the list of exceptions, nor the cookies saved by these websites were deleted even when I closed the browser. I do not see the difference in terms of what happens between selecting Allow vs. Allow for session. Could someone who knows please explain or point me to the place that explains the difference and how this works? Thanks.

Chosen solution

Hi Sue, until recent years, people giving us cookies was always a good thing. But I digress.

Yes, when I test with lifetimePolicy = 2, the cookies do not come back.

When you say the preference change doesn't stick, how soon does it it change back?

Another way to make the change would be to temporarily change your Tracking Protection setting from blocking All cookies to a lesser level of blocking. Then check the box to clear cookies when Firefox closes. Then change your Tracking Protection setting back again. The box will be grayed out but still should show as checked.

That sticks on mine. (I don't use any add-ons that affect cookies or cookie settings, in case that is a factor.)

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Hi Sue, I don't know what the eventual behavior will be, but it sounds as though automatically shortening all cookie lifetimes to Session only might go away. Since there are a lot of moving parts, probably not for at least 5 months.

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Thanks. I guess nothing lasts forever.... I will try to enjoy while it lasts. Probably no way to provide end user feedback or at least understand what the end result will be.

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What I understand about Permissions set cookies, if you set it to "Allow", from what I understood is that the cookie can track you even if your not on their site. As long as you have their cookie, they can collect info off you. But if you set cookie to "Allow for Session", they can only collect info when your using their site. They will not be able to track you or get info if you have move on from that page. They both accept cookies, just one "Allow for Session" only works if your on their page, every-time your on their page only.

I wish that Firefox would make an options that allows user to set all webpage to "Allow for Session". What a privacy saver would that be.

But a lass, they have removed it in version 88, I had to downgrade just to have the options of what I allow webpage to do. I don't know why and I can't find an answer anywhere.

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"Allow" means that you keep the cookie across a session (i.e. if you close and reopen Firefox). "Allow for Session" means that the cookies are cleared when you close Firefox. Actually Firefox can store cookies as part of session data if you leave the tabs open and reopen the tabs automatically. This has not much to do with a website tracking you. That would require to isolate cookies and only allow access from a specific page.

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