iOS 10.3 Safari cookies won't delete

Are there any moderators around here?!

This thread has multiple, repeated entries! The same posts reappear -- and reappear. Please delete the extras!

THe persistent cookie issue needs needs to be fixed -- pronto!

Also, what's wrong with Apple's comment box entry system?!

1. No blinking insertion point when you begin.

2. Double capitalization of first letters of the first paragraph.

3. No auto-capitalization of first word in new paragraphs!

4. Persistent capitalization when unwarranted-- see "THe" above!

It's these kind of ridiculous avoidable glitches that spoil the iPad experience. Toss in the miserably dumb auto-correct system -- especially its poor handling of apostrophes -- and one starts to wonder (even if momentarily) why they still have allegiance to the platform and the company!

Please fix all this, Apple!

Doesn't look like they're interested, maybe that's why it's called the community and not support, though some on here seem to have a better idea than apple support itself??? I see nothing that shows they are listening to these issues and the verification thing still isn't working, I still have to get a code each time I log on??? Looks like they can't do anything right at the mo

To be sure this is Apple's normal way of handling problems in the forums. They hardly ever respond to a real problem.

If they can't fix your "problem" with a link to an instruction guide they rarely say a thing.

They are very helpful? If the get impatient? They don't even let you contact them so how helpful is that. And I requested a password reset to access my locked apple account and FOUR weeks later still never received it. After trying to contact them for a week I got someone and was told "it takes time to email you to reset your account so just keep waiting". So Yeah I'd say they are impatient and flat out too! They are useless and don't care about helping anyone at all.

You'll probably continue to get replies to questions you didn't ask because often times when respondents do not know the answer to the question you did ask, they like to provide an answer they do have. It's like listening to Question Period in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, if I may, here's the definitive question on the matter and one I can answer.

Question: Given that the removing website data command doesn't always remove the website data, and no one seems to have a fix for removing the data Apple is now permitting to be left on my device, what should I do?

Answer: Go to; Settings/General/Restrictions/Enter passcode/Toggle Safari off. Then go to App Store/Search Firefox/Install/Use until Apple gets its act together.

Thanks, DontFailMeApple. I decided to give Tor a shot. Got the download for my PC from their web site but the App Store versions aren't as pure. Do you have a recommendation? I'd like to have an app that shows you the data collected (like Safari) as well as reliably deletes it (unlike Safari).

Good point about dollar votes. I switched my support from BlackBerry to Apple about a year ago after getting stiffed on the PlayBook. But I'm becoming increasingly fed up with the iBS.

My take on this for Safari on both iOS and macOS is that the cookies in question are those variously described as "zombie" cookies, "ever cookies" or "super cookies". They are essentially intended to be persistent even after the user clears all caches, history, and cookies.

The fact is, however, that the companies that do this are both violating the user's wishes and exploiting security flaws in the browser. This was widely reported in 2015 (e.g. http://www.businessinsider.com/super-cookies-hsts-security-private-2015-1) and still hasn't been fixed by apple. In the meantime, the exploits are getting worse.

For myself, I've encountered numerous sites that I may have visited once but never signed up for anything on that create "drive-by" zombie cookies. Using every known method short of a complete clean install, these cookies regenerate after having been cleared. These include trulia.com, weather.com, identity.com, acs.org, fantast.cc, zapier.com and others. And these cookies are also likely the ones that can still track you on all sites you visit even in private browsing mode.

This is not unique to Safari, but Apple hasn't given users a way to win the battle against this kind of malfeasance on the part of companies that want to know everything you do on the internet - often without you accepting any terms of service, just by accidentally visiting their site once.

There are three main things that should be done by Apple to improve the security and privacy of their users:

1. There should be a way to clear these cookies once and for all by clearing the HSTS flag on cookies or other means

2. There should be a way to globally block zombie cookie attack vectors like HSTS

3. Once you have a super cookie, the user should be able to essentially blacklist the super cookie, preventing it from being regenerated or reset -- ever.

There are still other things that need to be done. Like with the Verizon super cookie, there must be a price to pay for companies that choose to try to do this to Apple users, at least without their express agreement. IMHO Apple has a role to play there by identifying those companies that are doing this to their users on Safari, tracking them all over the internet without their permission. And I think Apple should publish a blacklist to Safari that its users can choose to enable.

Same problem here on three iPads, including a new 2017 I recently bought. Tried all of the suggestions here to no avail. Contacted Apple support and found out I'm basically stuck with it. They are aware of the issue and a senior tech even easily duplicated the issue on his end. After consulting several other senior level techs, he advised me that they are already aware of the issue based on numerous other users reporting it. Apple doesn't consider it a glitch and calls it "expected behavior". He suggested I completely reset my iPad to delete the zombie cookies already there and use private browsing mode from here on to prevent new zombie cookies. I tried that method for a day and decided to move on from this tablet. Thank goodness I'm not yet into week two of a 30-day return period. Prior to buying this iPad, my eighth, I was strongly contemplating the Galaxy Tab S3. I was very tempted to try it out. The fact that I still have three of the prior seven iPads to fall back on if I dislike it really pushed me toward the S3. However, I played it safe and decided on another iPad. The lower price also affected my decision. Now it appears the decision just settled itself. Between this and calendar widgets not working, I'm tired of "settling" with Apple, even at a lower price. I really miss the good old days where stuff like this wasn't so common.

Issue still exsists in 10.3.2. I have filed a bug report and have a case still open with Apple.

Really disappointed they haven't sorted this out. I thought Apple prided itself on security and privacy...

Thanks for your Firefox Focus suggestion, DFMA. I've been using it on my iPad Mini and will try it on my SE PDQ. I've been watching the replies to this topic and a thought struck me the other day...what if Apple has been allowing these persistent cookies to remain all along and it's only the gLitch in the iBS 10 matrix that's allowing us to see them now?

Just updated my IPad Mini 4 and IPhone 6s and can see that the 10.3.2 has resolved the issue on my iPhone, but not my iPad.

The funny thing is if I go into websites with rogue cookies on my iPhone now they are deleting as you would expect to see when clearing history.

This makes me think this is an apple issue and not the websites we are visiting.

I spoke too soon the first rogue cookie is backninmky iPhone. This relates to mobiles.co.uk. So it seems a fix is not there yet. Also read today iOS 11 is out in June so maybe there will be a fix then.

I'm on a iMac computer and also use safari. Recently I can't remove all stored data either!! Also my computer has slowed down!! So do I have a bug? I'm thinking of getting rid of all computers & devices and going back to pen, paper & books. Life was less complicated and I was healthier before!!