Did you know that your browser is keeping tabs on you? All the little pieces of information add up to create your digital fingerprint. While most of this is innocent, some websites use browser fingerprints to track and identify you. Creepy, huh?

The Brave browser seeks to change that. In a few clicks, you browse without worrying about your digital footprint at all.

What Is Browser Fingerprinting?

Image Fingerprint Security

We’ve all heard about fingerprinting. Usually, it’s done for applications to become a notary or apply for a visa to another country. Today, browsers track us using what we call browser fingerprinting.

It all starts with websites using special scripts. These scripts are made to collect information about you. Some of these include the browser you use, your timezone, default language, among a few others.

This information allows them to distinguish you specifically from a myriad of other internet users. Try to imagine how you would identify a person standing in a crowded room. Where would you start? Most people would begin by noting their attributes such as height, hair color, clothing, scars, and other physical features that make that person unique.

Browser fingerprinting is very similar.

How Is Fingerprint Tracking Different From Browser Cookies?

Now that many companies are using browser fingerprinting as a covert method of tracking internet users, many are now paying attention. It differs from cookies that are essentially text files that hold your specific data and the websites you use. Instead, cookies are only related to the website that downloaded them onto your computer.

While browsers can’t transfer cookies from one website to another, browser fingerprinting can track you all over the internet. Besides, users can quickly delete cookies from their browsers.

Internet users can use privacy features that help make tracking through cookies a lot more challenging.

Still, limiting fingerprinting is more difficult since most browsers don’t have a consistent method to do this built-in, and detection of its use is tricky.

What Is Google's FloC Tracking System?

Google FLoC Security

FLoC, short for Federated Learning of Cohorts, is Google’s new method of profiling internet users.

Google says it wants to lead the way to replace third-party cookies. FLoC is one of its proposals that is part of a new technology suite that will target ads on the web.

The goal of FLoC is to offer advertisers a new way of targeting consumers for ads. It claims to do it without exposing specific details on individual users by grouping people with similar interests. For example, sports fans, retired travelers, truck drivers, or whatever the topic of your interest.

To explain it a bit further, algorithms ("federated learning") create the groups ("cohorts"); they say; as a result, you might get put in a unique group every week. Besides, many security experts say that while it addresses some privacy issues, it creates new ones.

While Google Chrome is fully onboard, Apple, Microsoft, and Mozilla are undecided. It’s possible these browsers may eventually adopt the technology, but there’s a long way for them to go from a privacy and security standpoint.

Are You FLoCed?

Google is already moving ahead with its FLoC technology in the Chrome browser.

Did you know that version 89 of Chrome includes a test run for FLoC?

What’s more, you may have been registered already without being aware of it. If you don’t want to be a part of the trial, here's what you need to do.

  1. Click on the three dots on the upper right side to open the menu.
  2. Select Settings, then choose Privacy and Security from the list on the left.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data, there are three options presented there.
  4. Select Block third-party cookies.

Now you have disabled FLoC in Chrome.

If you want to check, head over to Am I FLoCed?, a website run by the EFF.

are you floced

If you’re not part of the trial, you’ll get this message that explains that your browser isn't FLoCed. Still, if you’re using Chrome, you may want to consider moving to another browser.

Related: Vivaldi's Latest Browser Update Arrives

What Are the Best Browsers for Privacy?

Brave Browser

We all know how simple it is to secure our online identity. From blocking cookies to going incognito or using a VPN, there are many options at our fingertips.

Is it time to reclaim your privacy and bid farewell to Google?

The Tor Browser

The Tor browser might be the one for those looking for a browser that checks all the boxes security-wise. Besides, Tor gets down to the nitty-gritty details. For example, maximizing your browser size results in a Tor warning that says doing so can lead to having your computer’s screen size tracked and suggests returning to the default size.

Mozilla Firefox

Managing your privacy and security gets a lot easier in Mozilla Firefox. For example, the customizable settings let you block third-party trackers and cookies to the level you want. For total security, opting for the Strict option locks it all down.

The Brave Browser

Brave comes with the best security and privacy features out of the box, which provides more than enough reasons to put it at the top of many lists for privacy protection. Still, some need to be emphasized here.

  • Automatic HTTPS upgrades
  • Ad and scripts blocking
  • Cookie management
  • Native password manager
  • Shield (security) customization, either browser-wide or by site

Should you prefer to leave things as they are, Brave’s default settings automatically block malware and phishing, making them excellent all by themselves.

How Does the Brave Browser Help Manage Your Online Fingerprint?

Beyond cookies and third-party trackers, today, your online fingerprint is tracked everywhere. While, at this moment, you can’t stop fingerprinting, many internet companies are currently focusing on finding a way to end it.

The most promising option right now comes from the Brave browser. While it still accepts requests from websites for data that could end up as fingerprinting, it also adds random information that creates just the right amount of noise to keep you from having a harmful internet experience.

Brave’s method results in a unique fingerprint for every browsing session you have and every website you visit. Trackers are at a loss because they can’t capture a single fingerprint left by your activities since your device signals a different fingerprint during each session.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a project that allows you to check your browser called Cover Your Tracks. If you’re protected against web tracking, this is the result.

you are not tracked

Security analysts say Brave is the only browser to pass this test. If yours isn’t as secure and fails the test, this is the result:

you are tracked

Brave Is a Good Move for Personal Security

Privacy and security are a priority for many internet users right now. Besides, taking it for granted has had disastrous results for businesses and consumers alike. Brave seems to be an excellent option to protect your information while browsing to keep your online fingerprint hidden.