Browser Tracking and Fingerprinting
In today's digital age, browsing the internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. The increasing sophistication of online tracking techniques has become crucial to understand the impact they have on our privacy and explore ways to protect ourselves. Browser tracking and fingerprinting have become increasingly prevalent issues in recent years.
With the rise of online advertising, businesses, and advertisers have found new ways to track user behavior, preferences, and interests, in order to deliver personalized content and ads. This has raised concerns about privacy and security, as some methods of tracking and fingerprinting can be invasive and potentially harmful to users.
What is browser tracking?
Browser tracking is when user activity on the internet is monitored, usually through cookies or other tracking technologies. Cookies?! Those pesky text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They can be used to track user behavior across multiple sites. For example, if you visit a shopping site and then later a news site, the shopping site's cookie may still be active and can be used to serve targeted ads on the news site.
What is browser fingerprinting?
Browser fingerprinting is a more sophisticated way of tracking you. It relies on gathering information about your device and browser configuration to create a unique "fingerprint" that can be used to identify them across the internet. This information can include details such as your operating system, browser version, screen resolution, installed fonts, and more. Because these details are often unique to each device, a browser fingerprint can be used to track a user even if they delete their cookies or use a different browser.
Why is browser tracking and fingerprinting a concern?
While browser tracking and fingerprinting can be used to deliver personalized content and ads, they can also be used for more nefarious purposes (identity theft or targeted phishing attacks). In addition, users may feel uncomfortable with the idea of their online activity being tracked and monitored without their consent and may be concerned about the security of their personal information.
How can you protect yourself?
There are several ways you can protect yourself from browser tracking and fingerprinting:
- Use a privacy-focused browser, such as Firefox, that includes built-in anti-tracking features.
- Install a browser extension, such as Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin, that can block tracking scripts and cookies.
- Clear cookies regularly or use a browser extension that automatically deletes cookies.
- Use a virtual private network (VPN) to mask your IP address and encrypt your internet traffic.
- Be cautious about sharing personal information online, and use strong passwords and two-factor authentication to protect your accounts.
Did you know that you can test your browser to see how well you are protected from tracking and fingerprinting? You do that at Cover Your Tracks, it shows you how trackers see your browser. It provides you with an overview of your browser’s most unique and identifying characteristics. Results from this site will let you know if you are protected or not.
Learn more about Browser Tracking and Fingerprinting
- Browser Fingerprinting: What Is It and How Can You Prevent It? by Chris Hoffman, How-To Geek
- Browser Tracking: What You Need to Know by Saikat Basu, MakeUseOf
- What is browser fingerprinting and how can you prevent it? by Adam Marshall, TechRadar
For more Tech Tips and Online Safety, you can visit KC News and Virus and Hoax Alert.
