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Release Notes (Privacy law compliance) - December 31, 2019


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With this release, we have made updates related to California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other privacy law compliance. Below are some of the changes for all users.
 
When you log into our websites, you will be presented with a pop-up to accept cookies and/or adjust settings for cookies. Additionally, you can visit your Geocaching account settings and adjust preferences via the newly added Cookies tab. Please note that certain user-generated content may include advertising cookies. An example is the images that some users have included on their profile and/or cache details pages. If you opt-out of advertising cookies, this content may not display properly.

We are aware of, and looking into, several bug reports listed in the forums since the release and we will post updates here as we have them. 

 

Update (January 2, 2020): 

 

Today, we have made additional updates related to California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other privacy law compliance.
 
We are providing users with additional control over the information they share with our Authorized Developers through the Authorizations tab in Account settings. Users who choose not to share with Authorized Developers will be displayed as “opted-out user”. Their log content will display as: "Content unavailable. This user has opted-out of sharing certain information with API Authorized Developers."
 
In addition, we have an updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. All users will see a pop-up where you can read and consent to the new policies.

Erin (Oceansazul) is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.
 
Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Comments unrelated to the release may be removed. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

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I'm able to see cache logs again.  Found and unfound.  Thanks.    :)

 

Email from public profiles still doesn't work, the same with public profile panels (tabs) on other's profiles.

Tabs on the "old" log page won't work, but by now I pretty-much know where italics and emoji are.

Can't get "ignore cache" to work. 

Everything I do has that forever spin, and just before it seems it's gonna time-out,  the page comes up.

When I write a log it comes up as another, blank log, and "back" give me a "service not available " page.

 - Going to history to view cache pages after logging.

windows7, IE11

 

1/10 - Decided to add here, as much of this thread has gone off-topic...

This is 16 days now.  Are the "public" profiles  panels (tabs) gonna be working soon ? 

 - Tough to attempt to help folks in the forums when you can't see what they might be talking about.

 

Thanks for your time.

Edited by cerberus1
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The website won't let me get past the first page of anything.  My found caches, PQ results, nearest caches, photos... even the links on the page that give the lists of caches keep reloading the first page, whether I click 'next' or any other page number.  Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask for help with this but is this another thing we just have to accept or will this go back to normal once you've worked out the latest bugs?  

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I think this was mentioned in one of the other discussions, but it should be mentioned here in the release notes.

 

In IE11 or Edge, clicking on a tab on a user's public profile just loops back to the main tab. It won't switch to other tabs. It works as expected in Firefox and Chrome.

 

Edit to add: On a semi-related note, the styling of the tabs is much slower to load than usual. Doing a count in my head when using Firefox, it takes about 4 seconds for the tab styling to load. Clicking on the tabs doesn't do anything before the styling has loaded, so this isn't just a cosmetic issue.

 

While neither of the above issues are likely related to the CCPA cookie alert change, they do seem to coincide with the change. Were there also some JavaScript-related changes made during the same release?

Edited by The A-Team
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I can see logs as normal on traditional caches, mystery caches, multis, and earthcaches, but not on events.

 

The small map does not appear at all.

 

I have cleared cache, cleared cookies, closed the browser, and tried different settings of the (California-inspired) cookies form.

 

I posted the above in the Website forum.

 

Since then, I have also discovered that I cannot log an event using the "new logging experience." I see the endless Javascript-not-loading spinning circle.

 

I cannot download the GPX file from any cache page.

 

All of the above applies to Seamonkey (Firefox family) on Windows 10.

Edited by msrubble
one more bug, specified browser/OS
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As mentioned over here, the new logging page isn't loading correctly in some browsers. It works for me in IE11 and Edge, but I just get the spinning green circle in Firefox and Chrome. I've accepted the default cookie settings in each browser.

 

Here are the console errors that I get in each of the problematic browsers (it appears to be the same issue in both):

Firefox:

TypeError: this.Settings.get(...) is undefined            mainJS:1:8900
    onBeforeStart https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1
    y https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/vendor?v=MbHAYB0Iqu4qXFYwD0qxokxG06qQH3Ogh_RLhd81S2Q1:1
    start https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/vendor?v=MbHAYB0Iqu4qXFYwD0qxokxG06qQH3Ogh_RLhd81S2Q1:1
    419 https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1
    t https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/loader?v=POKxrlXlbsSD8c3xyt1B3hlv2xGXeGBJ_hvgGD3VbuE1:1
    webpackJsonp https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/loader?v=POKxrlXlbsSD8c3xyt1B3hlv2xGXeGBJ_hvgGD3VbuE1:1
    <anonymous> https://www.geocaching.com/play/app/mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1

 

Chrome:

mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'isLoggedIn' of undefined
    at r.onBeforeStart (mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1)
    at r.y [as triggerMethod] (vendor?v=MbHAYB0Iqu4qXFYwD0qxokxG06qQH3Ogh_RLhd81S2Q1:1)
    at r.start (vendor?v=MbHAYB0Iqu4qXFYwD0qxokxG06qQH3Ogh_RLhd81S2Q1:1)
    at Object.419 (mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1)
    at t (loader?v=POKxrlXlbsSD8c3xyt1B3hlv2xGXeGBJ_hvgGD3VbuE1:1)
    at window.webpackJsonp (loader?v=POKxrlXlbsSD8c3xyt1B3hlv2xGXeGBJ_hvgGD3VbuE1:1)
    at mainJS?v=QQ_0qJIMinkcmz6aqbFMdprEqw_VRdBYuVvuIGegT5I1:1

 

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Another issue.

 

In Firefox and Chrome, when I click the menus at the top (Play, Community and Shop), the drop-down menu isn't displayed. Instead, these browse directly to the home page, the forums, and the Geocaching shop, respectively.

 

After further testing, there's varying behaviour depending on where you are and how long you wait. From the home page, the menus behave as described above regardless of how long you wait. However, from a cache listing page, these menus start to behave as expected after a few seconds. If you click a menu immediately after opening a cache listing page, it behaves as described above and doesn't show the drop-down menu.

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6 hours ago, Geocaching HQ said:

With this release, we have made updates related to California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other privacy law compliance. Below are some of the changes for all users.
 
When you log into our websites, you will be presented with a pop-up to accept cookies and/or adjust settings for cookies. Additionally, you can visit your Geocaching account settings and adjust preferences via the newly added Cookies tab. Please note that certain user-generated content may include advertising cookies. An example is the images that some users have included on their profile and/or cache details pages. If you opt-out of advertising cookies, this content may not display properly.

We are aware of, and looking into, several bug reports listed in the forums since the release and we will post updates here as we have them. 

Erin (Oceansazul) is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.
 
Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Comments unrelated to the release may be removed. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

I'm in TX; what do I care about a CA privacy law? And it seems to ME that adding more cookies to my computer allows MORE "outsiders" get information from my computer, which is the OPPOSITE of protecting my privacy! I don't like it! Especially when its been sprung/sneaked in on me without warning. <_<

If I HAVE to accept cookies ( mid-day today, it said there were 111 of them that are "necessary"!! A HUNDRED AND ELEVEN!! ) and then I have to go to another place to adjust settings and/or preferences. And THEN, opting out of advertising cookies can or will cause problems with the content that I WANT?

I'm really not amused with this whole thing!

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23 minutes ago, zookeepertx said:

I'm in TX; what do I care about a CA privacy law?

There isn't a separate version of the site for CA, TX, EU, etc., etc., etc. There is a single version of the site that is designed to comply with all the regulations everywhere.

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1 hour ago, zookeepertx said:

I'm in TX; what do I care about a CA privacy law? And it seems to ME that adding more cookies to my computer allows MORE "outsiders" get information from my computer, which is the OPPOSITE of protecting my privacy! I don't like it! Especially when its been sprung/sneaked in on me without warning. <_<

If I HAVE to accept cookies ( mid-day today, it said there were 111 of them that are "necessary"!! A HUNDRED AND ELEVEN!! ) and then I have to go to another place to adjust settings and/or preferences. And THEN, opting out of advertising cookies can or will cause problems with the content that I WANT?

I'm really not amused with this whole thing!


Texas, like many other states, has consumer privacy legislation pending, patterned after California's CCPA.  Industry experts expect this trend to sweep across the USA in 2020.  Companies, including Groundspeak, have built compliant solutions that they hope will be extensible to other jurisdictions.  So yeah, you should care.

 

10 minutes ago, zookeepertx said:

 

GDPR?

 

GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation, enacted by the European Union.  It's regarded as the most modern and far-reaching online privacy legislation, and served as a model for the CCPA.  GDPR affords EU residents with the "right to be forgotten" which is why, on Geocaching.com, you can now erase all traces of your existence (logs, forum posts, etc.) by written request of HQ.

 

In my day job, I have compliance risk management oversight of CCPA and GDPR compliance for all commercial activities of my Fortune 500 employer.  It is a huge compliance effort.  This month and next, you can expect to see similar changes to all the other websites that you use, just like you did when GDPR came into effect.

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1 minute ago, Keystone said:


Texas, like many other states, has consumer privacy legislation pending, patterned after California's CCPA.  Industry experts expect this trend to sweep across the USA in 2020.  Companies, including Groundspeak, have built compliant solutions that they hope will be extensible to other jurisdictions.  So yeah, you should care.

 

GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation, enacted by the European Union.  It's regarded as the most modern and far-reaching online privacy legislation, and served as a model for the CCPA.  GDPR affords EU residents with the "right to be forgotten" which is why, on Geocaching.com, you can now erase all traces of your existence (logs, forum posts, etc.) by written request of HQ.

 

In my day job, I have compliance risk management oversight of CCPA and GDPR compliance for all commercial activities of my Fortune 500 employer.  It is a huge compliance effort.  This month and next, you can expect to see similar changes to all the other websites that you use, just like you did when GDPR came into effect.

 

Hmmm, see that sounds kinda ominous to me. If we have MORE cookies, to me that sounds like LESS privacy.

 

 

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53 minutes ago, zookeepertx said:

I'm also sad because tomorrow I'll be making an unusual (for me) drive and would love to find a few caches in an area I won't be back to for months. Now, I won't be able to. :(

Yes you will.

I see no difference on the website, it"s all working as before but then again, I block a lot of things already.

Don't know about logging (I do that via API and GSAK) but logs are showing and loading as I scroll down.

 

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Most of the problems of the past few hours seem to have been fixed.

I found the following:

If I call up a profile and want to switch to one of the tabs there, for example "Photos", then a loading process starts, but this always brings me (back) to the profile start page.

No other tab page can be loaded.

EDIT:

I also noticed:

I log a cache, which works so far. After entering the log I do not get an overview of the log text etc. but it loads the log page again. As before, this is empty and contains no data. But the log itself is probably entered, because when I go to the listing of the cache, I see the found-it smiley (in the right upper corner) and with the log entries also my log.

Edited by *AGUK*
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This update still has several problems (even after accepting ALL cookies):

1. Using firefox brower: If you click on the pencil icon within a cache page to edit the coordinates (after solving a mystery eg.) the pop-up is displayed. But on clicking "Accept" (after entering the changed coordinates) nothing happens, the popup does not close and the coordinates are unchanged. 

2. If I do the same as 1. in Chrome browser the popup will not open at all.

3. The repatcha frame is missing both in Firefox and chrome browser. Therefore the integrated geocecker is unusable ( Recaptcha validation failed. )

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Well, I'm sure it will be fixed, but here's what I found (in addition to other problems mentioned in this thread):
I can't edit my pictures.
I can't look at pictures from other logs on a cache-page, past the first page.
I can't drop trackables (The inventory menu won't open).

(Using windows 10 and accepting all cookies)

 

When I am accepting functional cookies only I can't log PM only caches (although I am a premium member)

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I am using Window 10 and accepting cookies

 

1) Can't use pocket queries

2) Can't use advance search

3) Can't view other cachers or my own profile (geocaches, trackable.....) In fact the stats bar is broken.

4) Can't edit pictures.

 

These are the problems I have noticed so far. However there may be more.

 

 

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26 minutes ago, dimwit61 said:

1) Can't use pocket queries

2) Can't use advance search

3) Can't view other cachers or my own profile (geocaches, trackable.....) In fact the stats bar is broken.

4) Can't edit pictures.

 

FWIW all these are working as intended for me, Linux+Firefox, I've accepted all cookies via my profile page, and I'm using the new profile/dashboard views.

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1 hour ago, Twentse Mug said:

The scripts on the page like Project GC and GC Little Helper still don't work.

It does work here.

 

Win10 Pro, FF71-64bit

Noscript blocks cookiebot.com / googletagmanager.com /googletagservices.com

Tampermonkey GClh II works as expected (and as before)

 

Anyone tried blocking cookiebot.com as it seems cookies might be the problem?

 

 

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1 hour ago, dimwit61 said:

1) Can't use pocket queries

2) Can't use advance search

3) Can't view other cachers or my own profile (geocaches, trackable.....) In fact the stats bar is broken.

4) Can't edit pictures.

 

 

1. no issue, PQs can be made, edited, saved

2. not tried

3. no issue. own profile works, other cacher's profile works, look at trackables/geocaches.... statistics OK too

4. no issue.

 

In fact, I notice no difference in the site's behavior between now and before. If it weren't for these forum posts I wouldn't have known anything had changed.

 

I haven't seen any pop-up to accept/decline cookies either.

 

 

Edited by on4bam
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Tried on my tablet (Android) with FF (latest version).

Got cookie notice and declined ALL except functional.

Cachepages work as expected. I see all logs.

Edit log works.

View profile works

View other cacher's profile works as do all tabs (geocaches, trackables, statistics...)

I do use Noscript lite, ublock Origin, Ghostery.

 

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18 minutes ago, on4bam said:

In fact, I notice no difference in the site's behavior between now and before. If it weren't for these forum posts I wouldn't have known anything had changed.

Me too, and I only accepted the cookies last night after seeing this thread, but everything was still working before I did that.

 

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PC running Windows Firefox 70.0 with or without scripts

my admin account is seeing 404 errors on opening lists from list hub. These are "old lists". They will load, after a refresh or two  or more.

My player account does not see this,  opening new list from hub.

 

 

Edited by Isonzo Karst
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2 hours ago, on4bam said:

I notice no difference in the site's behavior between now and before

Same here - with the exception of LilDevil's StreetView map 2.0.1 not working properly.

But that's a script issue - not the site's fault. ;-)

Edited by HHL
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4 hours ago, on4bam said:

Win10 Pro, FF71-64bit

Noscript blocks cookiebot.com / googletagmanager.com /googletagservices.com

Tampermonkey GClh II works as expected (and as before)

 

Anyone tried blocking cookiebot.com as it seems cookies might be the problem?

 

Same Firefox, same sites blocked by NoScript.  Like you, I've had no problems.

 

Observation: cookiebot.com is new on the list, and is blocked by my default settings.

 

Speculation: cookiebot.com is some snake-oil javascript sold as a way to easily get in compliance with that pesky law.

 

Observation: I don't remember seeing any cookie prompt from geocaching.com, recently or ever.  I've certainly never seen a very detailed cookie prompt such as in screenshots people have posted here.

 

Speculation: cookiebot.com is breaking things.

 

Edited by Viajero Perdido
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With cookiebot.com unblocked, the one oddity I noticed was that pages would initially load with only image placeholders displayed for the majority of images. There'd be a short pause (on the order of a second) and then all the images would appear. Blocking cookiebot.com allowed pages to load normally.

 

Even with cookiebot.com unblocked, the old pages for logging caches, profiles, etc., all seemed to be functional. I was able to log a cache yesterday with no spinning green wheels of death or unexpected redirections to another page. Just that "wait just a second while I look for those images..." behaviour when a page was loaded. I can't comment on the new pages as I don't use them wherever possible.

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Oh, this is all getting SO confusing to me!

  • Don't know about logging (I do that via API and GSAK)
  • Seamonkey
  • The scripts on the page like Project GC and GC Little Helper still don't work.
  • Win10 Pro, FF71-64bit
  • Noscript blocks cookiebot.com / googletagmanager.com /googletagservices.com. Tampermonkey GClh II works as expected (and as before)
  • Blocking cookiebot.com solves all my problems, at the page and with all my tampermonkey scripts. (GClh, Mystery Wizzard, ...)

See, I have NO idea what any of that means! It's all totally greek to me! All I'm trying to do is search for caches in the area I'm going to, maybe look at some of the logs, and then log them. Simple! It was so easy and enjoyable; I don't want to have to build/reprogram the internet. My head would explode!

 

Also, most of the posts here updating on different experiences with the "upgrades" are from people that have, presumably, accepted cookies. That's exactly what I have a problem with! I don't see why I should have to expose MORE of my information out there in the world.

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12 minutes ago, zookeepertx said:

Also, most of the posts here updating on different experiences with the "upgrades" are from people that have, presumably, accepted cookies. That's exactly what I have a problem with! I don't see why I should have to expose MORE of my information out there in the world.

 

Nope, I haven't accepted any cookies (or at least not more than needed and were accepted earlier)

3rd party cookies > never accept

Lots of sites are blocked anyway by Noscript, Ghostery and Disconnect.

 

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I, too, can confirm that blocking cookiebot.com solves (at least a lot of) problems. I observed some of the issues mentioned above since yesterday. Also, I had do deactivate the Tampermonkey Mystery Wizard script to have logs displayed again.

After blocking cookiebot.com via uBlock, pages load faster and completely, even after I activated Mystery Wizard again. So, I expect the cookiebot stuff to be implemented incorrectly.

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1 hour ago, Bandraz said:

So, I expect the cookiebot stuff to be implemented incorrectly.

Yes, maybe the cookiebot stuff is implemented incorrectly.

Other possibilities are, the cookiebot stuff is paid junk, or the cookiebot stuff is also supposed to hinder or prevent the execution of scripts, or ...

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4 hours ago, on4bam said:

 

Nope, I haven't accepted any cookies (or at least not more than needed and were accepted earlier)

3rd party cookies > never accept

Lots of sites are blocked anyway by Noscript, Ghostery and Disconnect.

 

But if I don't accept cookies, it won't even let me into the site! How did you know for sure which ones were needed and which were already accepted earlier? And I don't know how to recognize 3rd party cookies. I mean, I assume those would be ones not related to Geocaching, but everything online has such random names, how can you tell?

And Noscript, Ghostery, Disconnect? I have zero clue what those even are! (Did I mention that I'm very technology challenged?  :unsure: )

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4 hours ago, zookeepertx said:

Oh, this is all getting SO confusing to me!

  • Don't know about logging (I do that via API and GSAK)
  • Seamonkey
  • The scripts on the page like Project GC and GC Little Helper still don't work.
  • Win10 Pro, FF71-64bit
  • Noscript blocks cookiebot.com / googletagmanager.com /googletagservices.com. Tampermonkey GClh II works as expected (and as before)
  • Blocking cookiebot.com solves all my problems, at the page and with all my tampermonkey scripts. (GClh, Mystery Wizzard, ...)

See, I have NO idea what any of that means! It's all totally greek to me! All I'm trying to do is search for caches in the area I'm going to, maybe look at some of the logs, and then log them. Simple! It was so easy and enjoyable; I don't want to have to build/reprogram the internet. My head would explode!

 

Also, most of the posts here updating on different experiences with the "upgrades" are from people that have, presumably, accepted cookies. That's exactly what I have a problem with! I don't see why I should have to expose MORE of my information out there in the world.

 

It is helpful to note browser or app and operating system, plus any add-ons, when trying to troubleshoot problems. This update has affected different set-ups in different ways.

 

The first person is not using the web site to post logs; they are using a geocaching database program for Windows (not from geocaching.com).

 

Seamonkey is a browser in the Firefox family. It's open source, and sort of like Netscape used to be.

 

FF71-64 bit is a specific version of Firefox, 64-bit, on Windows 10.

 

Noscript is an add-on that blocks Javascript.

 

cookiebot.com seems to be the source of the new "This site uses cookies" panel, and as someone speculated above, is being promoted to web sites as a solution to privacy laws.

 

You don't have to worry about any of this. Whether you are or aren't seeing problems, it will help the Groundspeak developers (and your fellow geocachers) if you say what browser or app and what operating system you use.

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1 hour ago, zookeepertx said:

But if I don't accept cookies, it won't even let me into the site!

 

Workaround.  Find a way to disable cookiebot.com - via NoScript, Ghostery, uBlock, firewall, hosts, router, whatever, as already discussed - and you never get asked about cookies, and you can use the site as usual.

 

I've decided I can't trust cookiebot to not break other sites as well, and as such, have given it pride of place at the top of my router block list, right beside some untrustworthy media outlets.  No access, no breakage, from any of my devices.  :ph34r:

 

cookiebot.jpg

Edited by Viajero Perdido
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