My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as it
starts up, even though I never visit the site and have settings
set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find anything in the
configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might that be?

Jack,

> My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
> it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
> settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
> anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
> that be?

Two things that come to my mind : what is your homepage (it might have
"spy/tracking pixels") and do you have "notifications" enabled* (so you can
receive "something has changed on this website" messages, even even when
you're not on it).

* toolbar -> tools -> options -> content -> "Choose which sites are allowed
to send you notifications" -> "choose"

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 10:24:36 +0200
"R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> wrote:

> Jack,
>
> > My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
> > it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
> > settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
> > anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
> > that be?
>
> Two things that come to my mind : what is your homepage (it might
> have "spy/tracking pixels")

It's the about:config page, so unlikely.

>and do you have "notifications" enabled*
> (so you can receive "something has changed on this website" messages,
> even even when you're not on it).

Yes I have (by default), but there aren't any notifications listed.

>
> * toolbar -> tools -> options -> content -> "Choose which sites are
> allowed to send you notifications" -> "choose"

On my version it's in about:preferences#privacy under
Permissions.notifications

Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:

> "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Jack,
>>
>>> My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
>>> it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
>>> settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
>>> anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
>>> that be?
>>
>> Two things that come to my mind : what is your homepage (it might
>> have "spy/tracking pixels")
>
> It's the about:config page, so unlikely.

Do you have about:blank specifed as the URL for the home page, or did
you select Blank Page? In FF 114, entering about:blank as the URL ends
up selecting Blank Page. You didn't identify your version of Firefox
nor the OS under which it runs.

Blank might be your home page, but what about the other settings under
about:preferences#home for Firefox Home Content? Are any enabled?

Under about:preferences#privacy, there are couple of on-exit settings
for cookies.

#1 - Cookies and Site Data
Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed = Enabled
Any exceptions added (Manage Exceptions)?

#2 - History
Clear history when Firefox closes = Enabled
Settings
Is Cookies included?
Note: If you have Site Settings included, the exceptions you
listed for #1 will disappear.

Exit Firefox, delete cookies files, and load Firefox in its safe mode to
see if those cookies reappear. If they don't reappear, disable all
add-ons, start Firefox in normal mode, and recheck for the cookies.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/firefox-safe-mode.html
Method 2 or 3.

Do you have Firefox Sync enabled (have a Firefox account, and enable
Firefox Sync to sync to other instances of Firefox, like on other
computers, that also use Firefox Sync? If using Firefox Sync, just what
do you have it synchronizing?

about:preferences#sync

Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:

> "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Jack,
>>
>>> My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
>>> it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
>>> settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
>>> anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
>>> that be?
>>
>> and do you have "notifications" enabled* (so you can receive
>> "something has changed on this website" messages, even even when
>> you're not on it).
>
> Yes I have (by default), but there aren't any notifications listed.

The question was do you have notifications enabled, not if you have
pending notices (the bubble icon in the address bar).

about:preferences#privacy -> Permissions -> Notifications: Settings

Is Reddit in the list?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/push-notifications-firefox

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:14:39 -0500
VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

> Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:
>
> > "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> Jack,
> >>
> >>> My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
> >>> it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
> >>> settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
> >>> anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
> >>> that be?
> >>
> >> Two things that come to my mind : what is your homepage (it might
> >> have "spy/tracking pixels")
> >
> > It's the about:config page, so unlikely.
>
> Do you have about:blank specifed as the URL for the home page, or did
> you select Blank Page?

It's the about:config page.

In FF 114, entering about:blank as the URL
> ends up selecting Blank Page. You didn't identify your version of
> Firefox nor the OS under which it runs.
>

Sorry - it's 112.0.2 under Linux Mint.

> Blank might be your home page, but what about the other settings under
> about:preferences#home for Firefox Home Content? Are any enabled?

No, or at least none are ticked on that preferences page.
>
> Under about:preferences#privacy, there are couple of on-exit settings
> for cookies.
>
> #1 - Cookies and Site Data
> Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed = Enabled
> Any exceptions added (Manage Exceptions)?

No, no exceptions added.
>
> #2 - History
> Clear history when Firefox closes = Enabled
> Settings
> Is Cookies included?
> Note: If you have Site Settings included, the exceptions you
> listed for #1 will disappear.

No, I don't clear all history, I have to keep a record of where I've
visited. I just clear just cookies, logins, cache, form and search
history, site settings and offline web site data.

> Exit Firefox, delete cookies files, and load Firefox in its safe mode
> to see if those cookies reappear. If they don't reappear, disable all
> add-ons, start Firefox in normal mode, and recheck for the cookies.
>
> https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/firefox-safe-mode.html
> Method 2 or 3.

OK I'll try that.

>
> Do you have Firefox Sync enabled (have a Firefox account, and enable
> Firefox Sync to sync to other instances of Firefox, like on other
> computers, that also use Firefox Sync? If using Firefox Sync, just
> what do you have it synchronizing?
>
> about:preferences#sync

No I don't.

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:14:39 -0500
VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

>
> Exit Firefox, delete cookies files, and load Firefox in its safe mode
> to see if those cookies reappear. If they don't reappear, disable all
> add-ons, start Firefox in normal mode, and recheck for the cookies.
>
> https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/firefox-safe-mode.html
> Method 2 or 3.

I can't see how to do this in Linux. I'm not surprised the Windows
"run" method doesn't work, but <shift><double-click> doesn't either.

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:21:20 -0500
VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

> Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:
>
> > "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> Jack,
> >>
> >>> My Firefox browser loads 3 cookies from Reddit.com as soon as
> >>> it starts up, even though I never visit the site and have
> >>> settings set to "delete all cookies on close". I can't find
> >>> anything in the configuration that mentions Reddit. Why might
> >>> that be?
> >>
> >> and do you have "notifications" enabled* (so you can receive
> >> "something has changed on this website" messages, even even when
> >> you're not on it).
> >
> > Yes I have (by default), but there aren't any notifications listed.
> >
>
> The question was do you have notifications enabled, not if you have
> pending notices (the bubble icon in the address bar).
>
> about:preferences#privacy -> Permissions -> Notifications: Settings
>
> Is Reddit in the list?
>
> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/push-notifications-firefox

The list is empty, but I haven't actually ticked the box for "Block new
requests asking to allow notifications".

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 12:33:49 +0100
Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:

> On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:14:39 -0500
> VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:
>
> >
> > Exit Firefox, delete cookies files, and load Firefox in its safe
> > mode to see if those cookies reappear. If they don't reappear,
> > disable all add-ons, start Firefox in normal mode, and recheck for
> > the cookies.
> >
> > https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/firefox-safe-mode.html
> > Method 2 or 3.
>
> I can't see how to do this in Linux. I'm not surprised the Windows
> "run" method doesn't work, but <shift><double-click> doesn't either.
>

Well, I've worked this out now. I had three add-ons enabled; by a
process of elimination I worked out that the one called Sage-like was
adding the reddit cookies. I can't see anything in its documentation
that admits it does this, which is not good enough.

It never did what I had installed it to do anyway, so I've happily disabled it.

Thanks for your help.

Jack,

> Well, I've worked this out now. I had three add-ons enabled; by a
> process of elimination I worked out that the one called Sage-like
> was adding the reddit cookies. I can't see anything in its
> documentation that admits it does this, which is not good enough.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-CA/firefox/addon/sage-like/

[quote]
Added custom feed discovery for Reddit, DeviantArt, Pinterest and Behance
[/quote]

The "feed discovery" may be whats causing it. Maybe you can disable it ?

> It never did what I had installed it to do anyway, so I've happily
> disabled it.

:-) Thats even better.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:

> I had three add-ons enabled; by a
> process of elimination I worked out that the one called Sage-like was
> adding the reddit cookies. I can't see anything in its documentation
> that admits it does this, which is not good enough.
>
> It never did what I had installed it to do anyway, so I've happily disabled it.

Disabling all add-ons is typically the first step in troubleshooting. I
had thought about noting this action, but figured you already knew.
However, my suggestion to load Firefox in its safe mode would've
eliminated (disabled) all add-ons, but not settings changes (what you
see in the GUI config screens and bolded in about:config). Creating a
new profile would eliminate add-ons and all tweaks both of which are
stored per profile folder.

Is this the add-on you found causing the problem?

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sage-like/

"Customized discovery of "hidden" RSS feeds on YouTube, Reddit,
DeviantArt, Pinterest and Behance."

Did you check if this add-on was subcribing to any feeds from those
sources? If you have not yet uninstalled this add-on, go look at its
list of feeds to see if Reddit was included, and what else were
included.

Their support page is a forum site at:

https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/support-sage-like-sidebar-based-rss-feed-reader/

After /first/ checking just where this add-on was checking for feed
updates, you might want to post there about this add-on connecting to
Reddit despite you were not subscribed to Reddit (if true).

If Reddit was listed for this add-on to connect there checking on feed
updates, well, the add-on has to connect to the site to get the content
of its feed.

"Integrated with the browser's native bookmarks."

Why would it need access to your bookmarks unless it was going to
connect to those sites to hunt for feeds? I suspect the sites are
allowed to create cookies to allow reconnect to their site. When you
keep cookies, you can later re-login to a site without having to enter
login credentials. It's a convenience feature, but one with security
and privacy implications. Since the RSS feed feature or app has to
connect to the site, the cookies would eliminate having to re-login, and
also track session status at the site. Although cookies aren't
completely safe, they are safer than adding user and pass (login
credentials) as arguments in the URL pointing to the feed source.
Cookies are also used to track your last web session with a site, like
the page you were on, when you last visited, and other telemetry.
Cookies can also store your preferred language, and other site-specific
settings. They can be used for analytics, like how often and how far
between visits a user hits their site.

https://www.reddit.com/policies/cookies
"Our first-party cookies include cookies that are strictly necessary,
functional cookies, cookies related to analytics/performance and
advertising-related cookies."

Yep, analytics is one reason why they use cookies. Some RSS feeds
require the use of cookies. I don't know how this add-on goes about
"customized discovery" of feeds, but does seem any discovery requires
loading content from the site to hunt for feeds. Could the the
discovery feature can be configured. If you're still using feeds (and
antiquated system for site content update notification), typically users
want to have their web client detect feeds are available. You'd want
auto-discovery enabled when you visit a site, but not some add-on
visiting sites that you haven't to find feeds there.

On Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:25:50 -0500
VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

> Handsome Jack <nobody@nowhere.org> wrote:
>
> > I had three add-ons enabled; by a
> > process of elimination I worked out that the one called Sage-like
> > was adding the reddit cookies. I can't see anything in its
> > documentation that admits it does this, which is not good enough.
> >
> > It never did what I had installed it to do anyway, so I've happily
> > disabled it.
>
> Disabling all add-ons is typically the first step in troubleshooting.
> I had thought about noting this action, but figured you already knew.
> However, my suggestion to load Firefox in its safe mode would've
> eliminated (disabled) all add-ons, but not settings changes (what you
> see in the GUI config screens and bolded in about:config). Creating a
> new profile would eliminate add-ons and all tweaks both of which are
> stored per profile folder.
>
> Is this the add-on you found causing the problem?
>
> https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sage-like/
>

Yes.

> "Customized discovery of "hidden" RSS feeds on YouTube, Reddit,
> DeviantArt, Pinterest and Behance."
>
> Did you check if this add-on was subcribing to any feeds from those
> sources?

No.
> If you have not yet uninstalled this add-on, go look at its
> list of feeds to see if Reddit was included, and what else were
> included.

I've now temporarily reinstalled it and done that. It turns out that it
has added a new folder to my bookmarks called "Sage-like". This folder
contains five subfolders - News, Tech, DIY, Sports and Mozilla - and
the News subfolder contains Reddit, BBC and Buzzfeed.

On the Sage-like tool options page there is a box marked "Feeds
bookmark folder" and it contains the folder name "Sage-like Feeds",
which (see above) contains Reddit among others. Below that there is a
field "Periodic background feed check" containing "1 hour". So it
checks the sites in that folder once an hour, and no doubt collects the
Reddit cookies when it does.

>
> Their support page is a forum site at:
>
> https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/support-sage-like-sidebar-based-rss-feed-reader/
>
> After /first/ checking just where this add-on was checking for feed
> updates, you might want to post there about this add-on connecting to
> Reddit despite you were not subscribed to Reddit (if true).
>
> If Reddit was listed for this add-on to connect there checking on feed
> updates, well, the add-on has to connect to the site to get the
> content of its feed.

So it seems, though (a) none of the other sites in the Sage-like
Feeds folder put cookies on my browser, and (ii) that's not what I
installed the add-on to do. All I want is a gadget that will read
web pages presented as RSS feeds when I visit them (and not otherwise).
Recent versions of Firefox don't appear to do that, though old ones
did. I hoped Sage-like would have helped with this, but it hasn't.

>
> "Integrated with the browser's native bookmarks."
>
> Why would it need access to your bookmarks unless it was going to
> connect to those sites to hunt for feeds?

I understand that question now, but I wouldn't have done when I
installed Sage-like.

> I suspect the sites are
> allowed to create cookies to allow reconnect to their site. When you
> keep cookies, you can later re-login to a site without having to enter
> login credentials.

Yes, I get that. But of course, I don't have a Reddit login.

I guess I can now solve the problem by leaving Sage-like installed and
deleting Reddit from the bookmarks folder. I'll try that, see what
happens. Or by disabling the "Periodic background feed check".

> It's a convenience feature, but one with security
> and privacy implications. Since the RSS feed feature or app has to
> connect to the site, the cookies would eliminate having to re-login,
> and also track session status at the site. Although cookies aren't
> completely safe, they are safer than adding user and pass (login
> credentials) as arguments in the URL pointing to the feed source.
> Cookies are also used to track your last web session with a site, like
> the page you were on, when you last visited, and other telemetry.
> Cookies can also store your preferred language, and other
> site-specific settings. They can be used for analytics, like how
> often and how far between visits a user hits their site.
>
> https://www.reddit.com/policies/cookies
> "Our first-party cookies include cookies that are strictly necessary,
> functional cookies, cookies related to analytics/performance and
> advertising-related cookies."
>
> Yep, analytics is one reason why they use cookies. Some RSS feeds
> require the use of cookies. I don't know how this add-on goes about
> "customized discovery" of feeds, but does seem any discovery requires
> loading content from the site to hunt for feeds. Could the the
> discovery feature can be configured. If you're still using feeds (and
> antiquated system for site content update notification), typically
> users want to have their web client detect feeds are available.
> You'd want auto-discovery enabled when you visit a site, but not some
> add-on visiting sites that you haven't to find feeds there.