Patent ID: 8166406

Claim:
In a computer system, a method comprising: displaying a privacy settings user interface that provides at least: a first set of selection options for first party cookie handling; a second set of selection options for third party cookie handling, the first set of selection options and the second set of selection options each including at least an accept selection option, a block selection option, and a prompt selection option; and a session cookie handling selection option; receiving input to configure the first set of selection options, the second set of selection options, and the session cookie handling selection option; receiving a response to a client request for content of a remote server during a browsing session by the client, the response including data directed to a requested operation on a cookie; determining whether the cookie is a first-party cookie or a third-party cookie; determining whether the cookie is a persistent cookie or a session cookie; determining a privacy result based on whether the cookie is a first party cookie or a third party cookie and whether the cookie is a persistent cookie or a session cookie based on the configuration of the first set of selection options, the second set of selection options, and the session cookie handling selection option; if the privacy result indicates the requested operation on the cookie should be blocked, blocking the requested operation on the cookie and displaying an interactive user interface component from which privacy-related actions may be selected; and wherein: the interactive user interface component comprises a status icon that, when actuated, comprises a mechanism that provides privacy policy data related to the response comprising a privacy report that includes a list identifying at least one site that had a requested cookie operation that was blocked.