Persistent Cookie Management Tool for Cross-Domain Opt-Out
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions fail to effectively manage persistent cookies, particularly those used for advertising purposes, as they do not ensure all opt-out cookies are set at once and do not persist across user actions like clearing browser cookies, leading to privacy concerns.
Innovation Solution
A persistent cookie management tool installed in the web browser scans for identified websites with persistent cookies, stores and transmits opt-out cookies to block interest-based advertising, and optionally prevents further storage of persistent cookies, ensuring opt-out cookies remain intact even after destructive user actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If users manually delete cookies to save space or address privacy issues, then cookie storage space is reduced, but the opt-out protection is lost and persistent cookies can be重新set
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments cookies into two distinct categories: regular persistent cookies and protected opt-out cookies. The cookie management system differentiates between these types, allowing users to delete regular cookies while automatically preserving opt-out cookies. This segmentation ensures that privacy protection cookies remain intact even when users clean their cookie storage, resolving the contradiction between reducing cookie quantity and maintaining opt-out reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically setting protected opt-out cookies before users can delete them. When a user expresses privacy concerns or deletes cookies, the system proactively reinstates or protects the opt-out cookies, ensuring they are always present and functional. This preliminary protective measure prevents the loss of opt-out status during cookie deletion operations.
2Ease of operation
If prior approaches use preexisting lists of sites to manage opting out, then cookie management is simplified, but there is no mechanism to ensure opt-out cookies are set all at once and they do not persist across destructive user actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal cookie protection mechanism that applies to all websites in the preexisting opt-out lists simultaneously. The system manages multiple opt-out cookies across different domains through a single unified approach, setting all necessary opt-out cookies at once rather than individually. This multi-functional system handles both the simplicity of using preexisting lists and the reliability of persistent protection across all targeted websites.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor cookie deletion events and automatically respond by reinstating protected opt-out cookies. When the system detects that cookies have been deleted or that a destructive user action has occurred, it triggers a feedback loop that restores the opt-out cookies, ensuring they persist across user actions. This feedback mechanism maintains reliability while keeping the interface simple for users.
3Productivity
If persistent cookies are used to track user information for advertising purposes, then advertising websites can target users effectively, but users lose privacy control over their personal information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful tracking function from persistent cookies by implementing opt-out cookies that actively prevent advertising websites from setting tracking cookies. The opt-out mechanism removes the ability of advertising cookies to be set, effectively taking out the privacy-invasive capability while allowing legitimate website functionality to continue. This extraction protects user privacy without completely eliminating the utility of cookies for non-tracking purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-setting opt-out cookies that block advertising tracking before it can occur. When a user joins the opt-out program, the system proactively prevents advertising websites from setting persistent tracking cookies by having the opt-out cookies in place first. This preliminary protective action stops the privacy harm before it happens, allowing advertising websites to continue functioning for non-tracking purposes while preventing targeted advertising tracking.
Data Source
AI summary
A browser extension acts as a cross-domain persistent cookie opt-out by providing opt-out cookies. This allows users to opt-out of interest-based advertising by simply downloading one extension, essentially acting as a mechanism that prevents ad companies from personalizing ads on a per browser basis. Furthermore, opt-out cookies persist across otherwise destructive actions, such as deleting stored cookies.