Nostr Web Client

#privacy #browserfingerprinting #javascript #js

I want to give out some facts about browser fingerprinting, how to defend against it and that defending against it has a big effect no matter how deep your computer has been fingerprinted before.

Browser fingerprinting is a strategy of tracking companies, where they collect settings in your browser and hardware information of your machine, to identify you uniquely. To get a fingerprint, which is not identifyable over various sessions, you got two basic strategies.

1. Minimize amount of data a website can get:

Disabeling javascript either completely or with a plugin like noScript or uBlockOrigin, to blacklist or whitelist websites, which can execute javascript (since javascript can leak a lot of hardware data about your machine).

Block tracking pixels and known trackers.

2. Randomize datapoints:

Spoofing data like canvas fingerprinting, using standard windowsize instead of maximizing.

To follow any of those two strategies or both, the first step would be to download a browser, which is designed for privacy. Since commercial Browsers like Chrome or Edge directly defeat all efforts, since they use a unique identifier.

And the great thing about these strategies is that you will gain privacy no matter how much of your fingerprint has been linked to your personality already. Since once you are not identyfiable anymore, trackers will not be able to link your current session with older ones. This means it is always the correct time to start your journey into more privacy.

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Discussion

Juraj 4mo ago

Do the tracking companies actually do it?

I know it is possible, but has anyone shown a tracking company actually doing the JavaScript calls?

If yes, which ones?

Juraj 4mo ago

BTW testing here

https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/

freemymind 🇨🇭 4mo ago

Additionally I can really recommend https://www.deviceinfo.me/ since it gives very good insight, what data are trackable. And it is great to improve a setup and test it if it works.

freemymind 🇨🇭 4mo ago

According to several sources google does Browser Fingerprinting. I think most tracking companies do not have names, which are recognised by the public. But I would rather assume others are using it too:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/12/21/forget-chrome-google-will-start-tracking-you-and-all-your-smart-devices-in-8-weeks/

https://www.techlicious.com/tip/google-now-allows-ip-tracking-fingerprinting-heres-how-to-protect-yourself/

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/02/google-now-allows-digital-fingerprinting-of-its-usersB

28112a94... 4mo ago

Is forefox-esr better in that regard by default? On Debian it's the default browser.

Juraj 4mo ago

https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/

Test it here.

freemymind 🇨🇭 4mo ago

According to privacyguides.org and nostr:nprofile1qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnddaehgu3wwp6kytcqyq489zwer8xa855m05nqwh2swv89u2dmyesznz20n5edpnl74zzr7flnsku it is a good way to use firefox together with arkenfox userscript and uBlock Origin plugin, when you want to improve your privacy.

Both tools also deliver good documentation about privacy from trackers. But I think already using Firefox or Brave browser together with a privacy oriented search engine will give decent privacy improvement compared to 95% of internet users.