[Web4lib] Session Cookie Problems when Patrons Use IRS Free File

[dschumann at trlib.org]

Several patrons have reported problems using the IRS Free File web site
from our public Internet computers. They get an error message saying:


Browser Configuration Change Required

In order to use this application, your browser must be configured to
accept session cookies. It appears that either session cookies have been
disabled in your browser, or your browser does not support cookies at
all. To use this application, please enable support for session cookies
in your browser, hit the back button, and try again. 

 

Although we allow session cookies on our public computers, in IE we have
set Privacy to Medium, which:

 

*	Blocks third-party cookies without a compact privacy policy.
*	Blocks third-party cookies that use personally identifiable
information without your explicit consent
*	Restricts first-party cookies that use personally identifiable
information without implicit consent.

 

When I changed the privacy setting to Low, which removes the restriction
on first-party cookies, I was able to get past the session cookie error
page. 

 

Have any other libraries encountered this issue? If so, are you
considering lowering the privacy setting in IE? 

 

At this stage, we aren't looking at changing browsers. We are using IE 6
and have locked it down using a combination of AD settings and
WinSelect. 

 

Thanks for any collective wisdom that can be shared!

 

Donna

 

********************************

Donna Schumann

Timberland Regional Library

415 Tumwater Blvd.

Tumwater, WA 98506

360-704-4542

dschumann at trlib.org