Vivaldi Blocks Google FLoC and Fights Annoying Cookie Warnings
Vivaldi Technologies has released a new version of its browser—Vivaldi 3.8 (for desktop and Android). The main updates focus on security and user convenience. The browser now blocks Google’s FLoC technology and introduces its own Cookie Crumbler feature to help users avoid annoying cookie consent pop-ups.
FLoC Technology Disabled in Vivaldi 3.8
Version 3.8 disables Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), a technology developed by Google to replace third-party cookies. FLoC analyzes each user’s behavior and assigns them to a specific “cohort” or group—for example, people searching for medications. This means information about a user’s interests, behavior, estimated age, and personality traits becomes available to any website, while Google gains the ability to analyze detailed data about all cohorts.
“Users often automatically accept cookies without realizing they’re giving permission to collect their personal information,” says Jon von Tetzchner, founder of Vivaldi Technologies. “Some websites don’t work without cookies, leaving users with no choice. I believe this system of collecting user data should finally be abolished. No one has the right to collect your information with or without your consent.”
Industry Pushback Against FLoC
As previously reported, FLoC and the idea of replacing third-party cookies with it have not gained industry support. Google’s technology has been criticized and rejected by many major players, including EFF, Microsoft, Mozilla Firefox, Brave, WordPress, and DuckDuckGo:
- EFF experts immediately criticized FLoC, calling it a “terrible idea.”
- Vivaldi and Brave announced they would not implement FLoC in their browsers.
- DuckDuckGo blocks FLoC using its Privacy Essentials extension for Chrome.
- WordPress is discussing automatically blocking FLoC on sites powered by its CMS.
- Apple has not made an official statement, but Safari developer John Wilander said the company is waiting to see what happens next.
- Edge developers have also taken a wait-and-see approach.
- GitHub has banned FLoC for *.github.com and GitHub Pages sites hosted on *.github.io.
Cookie Crumbler: No More Annoying Cookie Pop-Ups
The updated Vivaldi browser now features Cookie Crumbler—a tool that lets users configure how the browser handles cookies once, instead of dealing with annoying pop-ups on every site. According to GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), sites that use cookies must notify users. While this regulation was designed to protect personal data, it has led to a flood of messages and pop-ups asking users to specify what data can be collected. Vivaldi developers say this slows down web browsing and frustrates users, so the ability to automate these settings in the browser is a welcome improvement.
Other Updates in Vivaldi 3.8
Other changes in the new version include interface and bookmark improvements. The panels, which are located on the left side of the browser window by default, can now change their transparency. Users can also choose the background image that appears behind these transparent panels. Additionally, the theme settings now offer blur effects, contrast adjustments, and several other customization options.