What is the FCNEC cookie?
FCNEC is an HTTP cookie associated with Google services, commonly found on sites that load Google-related components (such as elements tied to advertising, measurement, or other services provided from Google domains). It is set by Google, not by the website the visitor is browsing, but it appears in the visitor's browser once a Google resource loads on the page.
It typically appears on first interaction with an embedded Google script or element, regardless of whether the site directly displays ads or simply uses a related service.
What data it stores
Like most cookies of this kind from Google, FCNEC stores a technical identifier used internally by Google's systems. The exact value format is not publicly documented in detail and may vary; beyond an opaque identifier, its precise contents cannot be confirmed with certainty.
Data collected through this cookie is sent to Google's servers, not to the website where it is installed. The site owner has no direct access to the cookie's contents, only to the fact that it is set through the embedded Google script.
What it is used for
From Google's perspective, cookies of this type contribute to the functioning, measurement, or optimization of the company's advertising and related services across its network of partner sites.
For the site owner, the cookie's presence is usually an indirect consequence of embedding a Google script or widget, rather than a deliberate configuration choice. It essentially comes bundled with the Google service being used.
Does it require consent?
FCNEC is classified by CookieFix under the marketing category (advertising/tracking). Under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive (transposed in Romania through Law 506/2004), marketing cookies cannot be placed in the visitor's browser before explicit consent is obtained.
- The site owner must disclose this cookie in the cookie policy.
- The cookie must be technically blocked until the visitor gives consent.
- Consent must be as easy to withdraw as it was to give.
How to block or delete FCNEC
Visitors can manually delete or block this cookie through browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari), per-site cookie management, or tracker-blocking extensions. Removing it does not affect the site's core functionality, since it is not a strictly necessary cookie.
At the site level, the cookie must be automatically blocked until consent, not merely hidden from view. A CMP such as CookieFix can prevent the Google script that sets FCNEC from loading until the visitor accepts the marketing category, avoiding unauthorized placement of the cookie.
Frequently asked questions
It is not a security risk, but it is a tracking cookie used for marketing purposes, which is why it legally requires consent.
It is set by Google, typically when a site embeds one of its scripts or services, not directly by the site owner.
Its typical lifespan is about one year from when it is set, after which it expires automatically.
Yes, since it is classified as a marketing cookie, it must be blocked until the visitor gives explicit consent, in line with GDPR and ePrivacy rules.