Put "block all cookies" under a default-off feature flag

[ShivanKaul]

We have a "block all cookies" feature. Unfortunately, this option essentially breaks the Web for users; we have several anecdotal cases of users inadvertently ending up with this toggle enabled. We should put this feature under a default-off but enableable feature flag (via brave://flags on all platforms).

1. New feature flag: block-all-cookies-toggle. Label: Show "block all cookies" option for global cookie setting. Sub-label: Show option to block all cookies in global cookie policy setting.
2. (on iOS) If the feature flag is on, we show the Block all Cookies toggle. It's still default off.
3. (on Desktop and Android) If the feature flag is on, we show the "Block all cookies" option in the "Block Cookies" setting.
4. If a user has already toggled this feature ON, we should leave as-is and have the feature flag be default ON for them.
5. This only affects the global toggle; we should allow users to toggle per-site cookie blocking.

[ShivanKaul]

@rmcfadden3 can you help with the label and sub-label text for this new feature flag? It'll live in brave://flags

[rmcfadden3]

@ShivanKaul what about something like this:

Label: Show "Block all cookies" option in Shields global defaults.
Description: Shows the "Block all cookies" toggle in Shields global defaults. This global setting prevents all websites from storing cookies on your device, but is also very likely to lead to site breakage.

[ShivanKaul]

I tweaked your text a bit, but LGTM.

[hffvld]

Verified on Pixel 7 using version(s):

Device/OS: Pixel 7 / panther_beta-user 15 BP11.241025.006 release-keys
Brave build: 1.75.76 
Chromium: 132.0.6834.33 (Official Build) canary (64-bit) 

---

STEPS:

1. Follow the STR/TP from Put "block all cookies" under a default-off feature flag brave-core#26479 (comment)
2. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that Block all cookies is not shown in global settings when the #block-all-cookies-toggle flag is OFF.
• Verified that Block all cookies is shown in global settings when the #block-all-cookies-toggle flag is ON.
• Verified that enabling the #block-all-cookies-toggle flag, then selecting Block all cookies in the global settings, and then disabling the #block-all-cookies-toggle flag doesn't disable/hide Block all cookies until a user unselect it manually.
• Verified that enabling Block all cookies in the global settings also updates the Shields settings.

---

#block-all-cookies-toggle is OFF

1	2

#block-all-cookies-toggle is ON

1	2

#block-all-cookies-toggle is ON & Block all cookies is ON > Disable #block-all-cookies-toggle

1	2	3	4

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.75.108 Chromium: 132.0.6834.46 (Official Build) nightly (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 2cff10e238af20f7b699d0a59b689cbe87c9c187
OS | Windows 11 Version 24H2 (Build 26100.2314)

and

Brave | 1.75.112 Chromium: 132.0.6834.46 (Official Build) nightly (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | f1de7e60955b06e067a605adca9d6a87d6142baf
OS | Windows 11 Version 24H2 (Build 26100.2314)

Test Case 1: New install - If the feature flag is on, we show the "Block all cookies" option in the "Block Cookies" setting.

Case 1: `Block-all-cookies-toggle` flag - Disabled - Default behavior - PASSED

1. Installed 1.75.105
2. launched Brave
3. opened brave://flags
4. confirmed new feature flag #block-all-cookies-toggle is shown
5. confirmed #block-all-cookies-toggle is Disabled by default
6. opened brave://settings/shields
7. confirmed Block all cookies option is not available in the Block cookies setting
8. visited a site https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
9. clicked Shields icon and opened the Advanced controls panel
10. verified Block third-party cookies option is shown as default
11. verified Block all cookies option is available

step 3	step 4	step 7	step 10-11

Case 2: Enabled `Block-all-cookies-toggle` flag with `Block third-party cookies` as default- PASSED

**Block third-party-cookies` setting is enabled in global setting

1. continue from Case 1:
   • #block-all-cookies-toggle is Disabled
   • Block-all-cookies option is not available in brave://settings/shields
2. enabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
3. returned to brave://settings/shields
4. confirmed Block all cookies option is listed in the Block cookies option
5. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
6. clicked Shields icon
7. verified Block third-party cookies option is shown as default
8. verified Block-all-cookies option is available
9. returned to brave://settings/shields and switched to Block all cookies
10. loaded again https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
11. clicked Shields icon
12. confirmed Block all cookies option is shown in the Shields panel
13. confirmed the page shows No for Are Third-Party Cookies enabled? option

step 1a	step 1b	step 2	step 3	step 7-8	step 9	step 12

Case 3: Disabled `Block-all-cookies-toggle` flag - PASSED

1. continue from Case 2:
   • #block-all-cookies-toggle is Enabled
   • Block-all-cookies option is available in brave://settings/shields
2. disabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
3. opened brave://settings/shields
4. confirmed Block all cookies option is still shown
5. switched to Allow all cookies
6. confirmed Block all cookies option is no longer shown
7. confirmed Block third party cookies option is shown
8. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
9. opened Shields panel and confirmed Allow all cookies option is shown

step 1a	step 1b	step 2	step 4	step 6	step 7	step 9

Case 4: `Block-cookies-toggle` flag - Default behavior with `Allow all cookies` selected - PASSED

Pre-requisite: **Allow all cookies` setting is enabled in global settings

1. New profile
2. launched Brave
3. opened brave://settings/shields
4. selected Allow all cookies
5. enabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
6. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
7. verified Allow all cookies setting is shown in the Shields panel
8. returned to brave://settings/shields
9. confirmed Block all cookies option is available in the Block cookies setting
10. selected Block all cookies
11. reloaded https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
12. confirmed Block all cookies option is shown
13. disabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
14. selected Allow all cookies in the brave://settings/shields
15. confirmed Block all cookies option is shown
16. reloaded https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
17. confirmed Allow all cookies option is shown
     
    step 4 | step 5 | step 7 | step 9 | step 10 | step 12 | step 13 | step 14 | step 15 | step 17
    ------ | ------ | ------- | ------- | ------ | ------ | ------ | ------ | ------ | -------
    |||||||||

Case 5: This only affects the global toggle; we should allow users to toggle per-site cookie blocking - PASSED

1. New profile
2. launched Brave
3. enabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
4. opened brave://settings/shields
5. selected Block all cookies
6. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
7. verified Block all cookies setting is shown in the Shields panel
8. visited CNN.com
9. verified Block all cookies setting is shown in the Shields panel
10. switched to Allow all cookies in the shields panel
11. closed cnn.com tab and reopened
12. reloaded cnn.com
13. confirmed Allow all cookies option is shown
14. selected Block all cookies in the Shields panel
15. closed the tab and reloaded cnn.com
16. confirmed Block all cookies option is shown

step 3	step 5	step 7	step 9	step 13	step 16

Test Case 2 - Upgrade

Case 1: Verify `block-all-cookies-toggle` flag is in default `Disabled` state upon upgrade - PASSED

Pre-req: Keep Block third-party cookies in brave://settings/shields

1. Installed 1.73.101
2. launched Brave
3. opened brave://settings/shields
4. verified Block all cookies option is available along with Block third-party cookies and All cookies options in the Block cookies setting
5. retained Block third-party-cookies option
6. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
7. clicked Shields icon
8. verified Block third-party cookies option is shown as default
9. verified Block-all-cookies option is available
10. returned to brave://settings/shields and keep default option Block third-party-cookies
11. closed Brave and renamed the profile to Brave-Browser-Nightly
12. installed 1.75.108
13. launched Brave
14. opened brave://flags
15. confirmed the feature flag #block-all-cookies-toggle is available and shown in default Disabled state
16. loaded again https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
17. clicked Shields icon
18. confirmed Block third-party cookies option is shown in the Shields panel
19. enabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
20. selected Block all cookies in brave://settings/shields
21. loaded again https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
22. confirmed Block all cookies setting shown in the Shields panel
23. selected Default for #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
24. switched to Block third-party cookies in brave://settings/shields
25. confirmed Block all cookies option is not longer available

step 1	step 4	step 5	step 8-9	step 12	step 15	step 18	step 19	step 20	step 22	step 23	step 24	step 25

Case 2: Verify `block-all-cookies-toggle` flag is in `Enabled` state upon upgrade - PASSED

Pre-req: Keep Block all cookies in brave://settings/shields

1. New profile
2. launched Brave
3. opened brave://settings/shields
4. verified Block all cookies option is available along with Block third-party cookies and All cookies options in the Block cookies setting
5. retained Block all cookies option
6. visited https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
7. clicked Shields icon
8. confirmed Block-all-cookies option is shown
9. closed Brave and renamed the profile to Brave-Browser-Nightly
10. installed 1.75.112
11. launched Brave
12. opened brave://flags
13. confirmed the feature flag #block-all-cookies-toggle is available and shown in default Disabled state
14. confirmed Block all cookies setting in brave://settings/shields
15. reloaded https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
16. clicked Shields icon
17. confirmed Block all cookies option is shown in the Shields panel
18. enabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
19. confirmed Block all cookies selection still shown in brave://settings/shields
20. switched to Allow all cookies in brave://settings/shields`
21. reloaded https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/are-third-party-cookies-enabled/
22. confirmed Allow all cookies option is shown in the Shields panel
23. disabled #block-all-cookies-toggle in brave://flags
24. confirmed Block all cookies option is no longer shown in brave://settings/shields

step 1	step 5	step 8	step 13	step 14	step 17	step 18	step 19	step 20	step 22	step 23	step 24

[Uni-verse]

Verified on iPhone 12 running iOS 18.2 using version 1.75 (142)

New Install

• Ensured that #block-all-cookies-toggle flag is disabled by default
• Ensured that Block all cookies setting is not shown in Privacy settings and enabling #block-all-cookies-toggle will show it after restarting.
• Ensured cookie blocking is working when enabling Block all Cookies.
• Verified all cases in mentioned in Put "block all cookies" under a default-off feature flag brave-core#26479 (comment)

Upgrade Case: Enabled

• Ensured Block all Cookies toggle is still shown in global settings if enabled upon upgrading. Disabling the toggle and re-opening the settings menu will hide it if the flag is set to disabled.
• Ensured that Block all Cookies settings is not shown when upgrading with default settings.

example	example	example