Firefox - Don't Eat Everyone's Affiliate Cookies

[Linda Buquet]

There is an issue brewing that should be of concern to all affiliate marketers.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/newbirth/4484884179/" title="Cookie Monster by Newbirth35, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4022/4484884179_17e4208586_m.jpg" width="190" align="left" hspace="15" /></a>

Firefox announced earlier in the year that they would start blocking cookies from third-party ad networks by default. That means network affiliate cookies would be blocked as well.

WebGains posted about it, the end of May and then Shawn Collins just wrote about it as well. So I wanted to share their posts to ensure everyone knows the pending situation.



Shawn writes:

<strong><a href="http://blog.affiliatetip.com/archives/webgains-addresses-firefox-plan-to-block-third-party-cookies/">Webgains Addresses Firefox Plan to Block Third Party Cookies</a></strong>

Earlier this year Firefox announced that they would start blocking cookies from third-party ad networks by default.

The update to the FireFox browser will allow sites that you?ve visited (first parties) to set cookies on your system, but it will block cookies from third parties, such as advertising networks, unless they already have a cookie on your machine.

Originally scheduled to take effect in Firefox 22, which will be released in June 2013, the change has been delayed, but it?s still something that affiliate marketers need to keep an eye on.

Click the link above to read the rest. And below is a link to the WebGains post.

<strong><a href="http://usablog.webgains.com/webgains-responds-to-firefox-22-and-third-party-cookie-blocking/">Webgains responds to Firefox 22 and Third Party Cookie Blocking</a></strong>

You may be aware that Firefox 22, that is due for release in June 2013, was planning to block third party cookies by default. Third party cookies are those set by a different domain to the one that the user is visiting at the time and have a range of applications including including analytics solutions.

 

[BoostAffiliates9]

Thanks for sharing these articles. I'm surprised Firefox would be doing this. There are a lot of browsers to choose from. Aren't they worried this will make it so people (affiliates specifically) will no longer support their browser? Do you think other browsers will follow this trend? I'm sure Affiliate Networks will be working around this dilemma, to ensure Affiliates won't encounter many issues or delays.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Erin,

That post was from last June, so to be honest I'm not sure whatever happened with that. Not sure if it ever came to pass???

 

[BoostAffiliates9]

Thanks for that reply, Linda.

It does seem like they would be better off leaving it alone. Doesn't seem like a good idea in the first place. Maybe that's why there's not much discussion about it. Most-likely, a mute issue.

Best,
Erin