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Why The Need For Third Party Cookies In Blogger?

Not all bloggers understand the authentication and cookie issues which are involved, as we update and view our Blogger blogs.

Occasionally we see perplexed queries
I wish blogger didn't insist on the requirement of third-party cookies in order to comment.
or
Why do I have to login each time I access my account?

Many bloggers aren't aware of the various different domains used by Blogger / Google.

Two of the key domains, in this case, are "Blogger.com", and "BlogSpot.com". The first is where we login, and the second is where many of our blogs are published. And now, "Google.com" becomes a third key domain, with the new Google "One account" login being involved.

With a blog published to a custom domain (not to BlogSpot), we have more possibilities.

Each different domain may contain different code, and should be trusted differently.

Cookies used from "blogger.com", to "blogspot.com", are "third party" cookies.

If you (or your reader) are reading a blog hosted in "BlogSpot.com" (or wherever), and a cookie created in "Blogger.com" is needed, the browser will be able to provide the necessary access only if "third party cookies" are enabled, in all filters. Security filters, which include cookie filtering functions, may be present in various locations on the computer, and the network.

Any cookie or script filter, in any location, can affect your use of various Blogger features.

Blogger and Google use cookies, for serious requirements.

Blogger doesn't use "third party cookies" for fun, or for gratuitous security, they use them because they have cookies created in "Google.com" (when we login to Google) - and used in "Blogger.com" and "BlogSpot.com" (or wherever your blog is published - here, for instance, "nitecruzr.net") when we
By themselves, the popup and separate page comment forms, which use code from "Blogger.com", will not require third party cookies. However, the possibility of CAPTCHA ("word verification") based screening, which runs code from your blog - whatever domain your blog is published in - will require access to third party cookies.

Note the advice on the Settings - Comments - "Show word verification for comments?"
Blog authors will not see word verification for comments.
The comment script must check the authentication cookie, to determine if the commenter is a blog author.

All Blogger comment processes require cookies.

Whether inline, popup, or separate page, your comment form, using CAPTCHA based screening, will also require access to third party cookies.

The unfortunate thing about the "third party cookie" issue is that there's no granularity here, in most browsers. If you enable "third party cookies" so a BlogSpot web page can access a Blogger cookie, then any other web page domain can access cookies created in other domains. You enable one "third party cookie" access, you enable all of them.

With an untrusted website, is unwanted cookies really the most serious danger?

This is yet another reason why you should only surf web sites that you should trust. If you don't trust a given web page to not abuse your computer, and to only access what cookies it should, why are you there in the first place? Always be aware of how reliable are the websites that you surf.

If you have a problem with Blogger, one of the simplest - and most effective - settings to check is the browser cookie filter.

Comments

C.J. said…
no one can leave comments on my blog
Nitecruzr said…
C.J.,

That's sad. 8-(

Have you posted in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, or in Nitecruzr Dot Net - Blogging? Peer support is where you get help.
Tammara Garland said…
Hey Chuck,
Thanks for the message that I would need to enable third party cookies to comment in your comment form - lol.
Alas said…
thanks
Anonymous said…
Thankyou so much. The sign-in/dashboard issue was
driving me crazy.I just enabled 3rd party cookies & all is ok! Funny thing though is how I only had the problem w/ Firefox & not Google Chrome??
but problem solved & i'm now a follower.
tom
I removed the Facebook gadget and cleared the cache as you recommended.... you saved my blog, THANK YOU !!!!!
frere said…
as soon as i www blog i get a nice arabic home page and cannot access my blog.

it isn't that my blog is in arabic, i can't get as far as my blog

the "FAQ did not "A" my "Q"
Becky Stephen said…
checking to see if I can comment here.
Anonymous said…
Nope, clicking/adding third party cookies did not work, blogger still says I'm not logged in. 0_o
Anonymous said…
Okie Daaay, its work'n now! Thank you!!
Anonymous said…
As long as third-party cookies are allowed, every site that runs advertising is an untrustworthy site. Why surf at all?
Nitecruzr said…
As long as third-party cookies are allowed, every site that runs advertising is an untrustworthy site. Why surf at all?

I would suppose that's a decision that you have to make. If you want to login to your blog, to post comments, to surf without Stats recording your pageviews, or to use Following completely, you're going to have to allow third party cookies.

Blogger / Google uses multiple domains - and if you want to use Blogger fully, that's the reality.

The bottom line is that the settings are in your browser, they are not tweaks that Blogger can code around.
Unknown said…
How do I enable the third party cookies? Other people are able to comment on my blog but I am not!
Wes said…
checking to see if i can comment
Nitecruzr said…
Wes,

Try the correct commenting test - one comment, on two blogs!

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2010/10/testing-for-problem-with-cookies.html
pidge said…
My third party cookies are enabled, but I am still having the same problem. Have to sign in for dashboard use and several of the comments on blogs ask for sign in.
CB said…
What the hell is this all about? No help in getting comments accepted even when signed in to Google Account. Keep systems simple for the likes of me.
Samuel Wales said…
Chuck,

If I am reading this correctly, you are saying that readers will never have a problem leaving a comment in an embedded form if you simply disable captchas.

Is that correct? It is just as good as the full page form?

That is good news if so. I'm itching to switch back to embedded, but above all I do not want to increase the "layered security" etc. burden on readers and commenters.
Nitecruzr said…
Samuel,

Removal of the CAPTCHA screening would remove one reason for needing access to the authentication cookie.

If completely unrestricted commenting - anonymous, with no CAPTCHA, and no moderation - is allowed, that specific combination of options should allow somebody to comment without third party cookie access.

How many blog owners are that uncaring about the future of their blog?
Tiffany said…
checking
Anonymous said…
I don't know why yesterday I was unable to leave comments on blogger - signed in or anonymous. As soon as I clicked on preview the comment disappeared. It happened on 4 blogs. The thing is, the settings have not been changed from what I usually have. The browser is the same too. I have happily been making comments so I don't understand, why this, and why now?


After reading your site, I changed my privacy settings to allow all cookies and yes it worked, I got to sign in and make a comment as normal. That doesn't explain why, the day before yesterday I could do it anyway! I certainly don't want to allow all cookies and I won't be. I will change it only if I want to make a comment, if that is the only way. I am not happy about it though.

As an aside, since getting a google account to give myself a web id to comment with, I have noticed how rubish it is! Sometimes you can't comment on blogs for a whole day because after making a comment on one blog, you can then neither see or make a comment on any other. It has shown me that if I ever want a blog of my own, I certainly would never in a million years use blogger. Plus half the time it acts confused and treats you like you have a blog when you don't - just a google account, it's very poor. I'm not alone - so many complaints!
Raeven said…
I hope this works
AnchorMama said…
Thank you.
Unknown said…
Thank you a bunch! Test Test!!!

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