Don't stop there, make targeted ads illegal as well. If companies want to advertise put it on their site and show it when I search for it. They have become a ridiculous waste of time and resources. I pay essentially zero attention to them and haven't for some time. I naturally look away when they play. Ads are just an offensives nuisance.
I would like to think that government leaders would understand and take action like Europe did when they passed the GDPR. But my pessimistic side believes governments are accomplices in this digital stalking and encourage widespread adoption of this technology. Basically western governments while they talk a big game, they really want to mimic the dystopian tracking of China's CCP.
We've past that point years ago. Fingerprinting has been going on for years now. It's not new. The only thing is that Chrome is going to undercut measures against it it seems, which would include Brave since they use the same engine. Besides Brave does show adverts, only those run through its own company.
Yep. The future looks pretty sketchy. I kind of wish we were still using 9600 baud dial-up. That way they couldn't Hoover™up my information so dang fast ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So basically the internet has become just like the Sunday paper. A little bit of real information bundled up with a year's worth of ads that 99% of people don't want, don't need, don't look at but still need to pay for. 🤣🤣
Neither of the "reasons" Google gave for allowing fingerprinting are not reasons at all. Why don't they come right out and say that this is the only way they could conceive to get around adblockers and privacy technologies. It would seem that Google thinks it can only profit off of our lack of privacy.
Yeah after this video I've switched to Brave too after testing my phone and miserably failing with chrome. I already used Firefox on my pc but I might switch that over to brave too.
Hi Brent, Thanks for your video. I use Brave browser and got these results for interest's sake. To me, Brave browser is one of the best privacy browsers out there! That was a very interesting video too. --- Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking. Is your browser: Blocking tracking ads? Yes Blocking invisible trackers? Yes Protecting you from fingerprinting? ◕ your browser has a randomized fingerprint --- Thank you, Take care.
Ironically, turning on the Do Not Track setting makes a browser less unique and theoretically more prone to fingerprinting - 1 in 2.3 when it's on, and 1 in 1.77 when it's off.
I use different browsers for different purposes. I also use linux operating system, VPN, and a satellite connection (which has an unexpected side benefit of not using the same ground-station all the time, and ergo, my IP address "in the wild" changes without the use of a VPN.
Ran the test got yes-yes-partial, then I disabled all my script, ad blockers, and AV privacy protection, still came up with yes-yes-partial. So my routers own ad and script blocker is doing it, or my ISP, I just switched to a locally ran fiber provider.
@@kevinacosta6606 yep. Just think though they have added a second flag to help prevent browser fingerprinting an it says in the description the flag actually makes you more susceptable to fingerprinting. At this point Google may as well just be honest and say look we are going to track you and steal your browsing data whether you like it or not.
that is true, but then again, the fingerprint resisting may be randomizing data and hence still making it harder to identify you (i.e. you will be uniquely different each visit, to some extent)
I wonder if the EFF tool has ever found a browser without a unique fingerprint? Maybe one way to evade is to take this the other way and create new fingerprints each time?
after failure i installed EFF's Privacy Badger from Cover Your Tracks *Vivaldi has it's own fingerprint protection too* *Opera does not but with Privacy Badger it does now* *Thanx for this video* 👍
@@jhouriet *i see why not. works on mine. at this moment i went to my Win 7 browsers. i tested with Cover Your Tracks only Brave and Vivaldi passed with strong protection. opera would not allow privacy badger to install. cannot update newer browser it has Manifesto 3 problem. installed UBlock Origin retested with cover your tracks and it passed. i still use my XP, Win 7 have Win 10 and 11 laptops that i've purchased from pawn shops and wiped clean and did my own installs, just incase someone starts with xp/win7 blah blah blah*
Does it affect us Edge users? what about us on RUclips? Did the test on edge browser results were no for the first two and it has unique fingerprinting.
EDGE IS basically chrome by equally worse company... Called MICROSFOT. the recent honey scam remember ?. Well guess who also has shopping coupon checker.... Edge browser has shopping coupon option that just im sure does the same things as honey Extension.... Why would a company like MICROSOFT search for coupons to save money for us paupers for freee? The only reason i use it is its light on my laptop battery and has some nice features. Unlike battery hog called chrome
One thought I would love to be more common is that: It isn't a bad thing to install protection against tracking, even if it might make you unique from the rest! One common argument against things that should increase your privacy is that it makes you stand out against the rest of the internet users, and thus breaking your anonymity. But, I have hope that if more users were to use more privacy protection, it would no longer be the case! And in the end, tracking us would just be harder, than if we were to give up on this! Same argument can be used on another very specific, but irrelevant, topic :P
What irony it is that their OS has a randomized MAC address option on by default making network filtering more difficult yet when their ad revenue is impacted, they don't offer such an option for privacy.
Many thanks. I'd missed this one. Usually use Opera or DuckDuck Go browser. NEVER Edge, tho Microsoft keeps reinstalling it (without asking) with system updates. (I run Win 10 Home, or Pro, depending on machine). I don't regard installing a new browser, unannounced or unasked for, as part of a system 'update'.
If nothing else, look into network-wide protection (your LAN), like Pihole and/or a local cashing DNS. (Ask your geek friend). A test gave “strong protection” (7 vs 76 bits, user agent) on otherwise vanilla device. Not great, but not really bad either…😊
But does it matter? The last few years you can't find anything with google anymore & it just shows ads. I set brave search as my default because now at least I can find things & there are no ads.
You can't prevent publicly accessible info about your browser when you connect somewhere such as websites, since that information is supposed to be trackable for basic functionality.. You can however spoof it as I do..
Actually, after testing the website that you linked with 4 different browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Chromium and Edge) that all came back with exactly the same number of bits that are supposedly be leaked into a fingerprint (17.66 in my case) I doubt that these results are valid and reliable.
I do not recall.... perhaps someone could remind me who the top officers of google are? I sure hope no one could "track" them. That could possibly be bad you know.....
*ran the test i failed Not Protected. installed UBlock still says Not Protected* *UBlock says This extension may soon no longer be supported Remove or replace it with similar extensions from the Chrome Web Store*
@@Mordecrox *have all browsers. chrome just for old rarely used email account. decided to test and it failed. your comment made me check for an update, new update failed too*
Welcome to the world of chromium browsers in 2025 were ublock origin is going to stop working. Even on Brave. There's going to be a light version but we're regressing here and you need to use Firefox to get the full version
Firefox supports manifest V2 extensions. Ublock origin non light version. That's going to be a huge advantage in the coming years now that Brave is going to be hurt by chromium switch to manifest v3
People stop using Google productivity products. And if you use RUclips, use a VPN that doesn't log, don't use your real name or real email address to set up your account either. This was all basic knowledge back in the day. If you value privacy stop trusting the companies that are selling your digital self to the highest bidder.
heh! But no technical details about HOW Google intends to carry out their plans. Google has been tracking people since their inception decade+ ago so don't act all surprised !! Dealing with WebGL, Canvas, User Agent, Cookies tracking techniques should of already been on everyone's defensive tools for YRS!
You're using Google RUclips right now! Some clubs' websites use Google Sites as their framework - I am the Webmaster of one such club. Google Drive is a "cloud" repository of files - used by clubs & churches. Google is in many places where you already go habitually.
The minute you step outside your home, your giving up your privacy. The second you goto open up an internet browser, with every click, and every website you visit, your giving up your privacy. I mean, sure there are mitigations of limiting these but wont completely stop the tracking of you.
The whole "security risk" of ads popping up giving false OS related warnings and whatnot is easily fixed by just installing an ad blocker this is why firefox is so good, won't have to worry about the fingerprinting bs like on chromium browsers lol
What i want to know is, why do you need to use Google Chrome? why? aren't there other, better browsers? all these normies complaining, but keep using the same software they complain about
As if people do the same thing every day for their entire life. That's why this crap and AI will never really work, it needs consistency and humans are anything but.
The law needs to be updated to make ad tracking punishable as stalking.
Don't stop there, make targeted ads illegal as well.
If companies want to advertise put it on their site and show it when I search for it.
They have become a ridiculous waste of time and resources. I pay essentially zero attention to them and haven't for some time. I naturally look away when they play.
Ads are just an offensives nuisance.
I would like to think that government leaders would understand and take action like Europe did when they passed the GDPR. But my pessimistic side believes governments are accomplices in this digital stalking and encourage widespread adoption of this technology. Basically western governments while they talk a big game, they really want to mimic the dystopian tracking of China's CCP.
YEAH THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
It’s getting to the point where you may need to run a browser in a Virtual Machine then trash it, and rinse and repeat.
We've past that point years ago. Fingerprinting has been going on for years now. It's not new. The only thing is that Chrome is going to undercut measures against it it seems, which would include Brave since they use the same engine. Besides Brave does show adverts, only those run through its own company.
Or seriously consider a Linux variant ...
I use a few different devices with a VPN on one of them and different accounts but Instagram still recommends the same posts.
NOT a bad idea.
Like its wasnt already a privacy nightmare
Yep. The future looks pretty sketchy. I kind of wish we were still using 9600 baud dial-up. That way they couldn't Hoover™up my information so dang fast ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It can always get worse.
So basically the internet has become just like the Sunday paper. A little bit of real information bundled up with a year's worth of ads that 99% of people don't want, don't need, don't look at but still need to pay for. 🤣🤣
Neither of the "reasons" Google gave for allowing fingerprinting are not reasons at all. Why don't they come right out and say that this is the only way they could conceive to get around adblockers and privacy technologies. It would seem that Google thinks it can only profit off of our lack of privacy.
To expect such honesty and openness is charmingly naive!
I was getting ready to link "Cover your tracks" when you showed it.
Yeah after this video I've switched to Brave too after testing my phone and miserably failing with chrome.
I already used Firefox on my pc but I might switch that over to brave too.
Hey.. with Brave, you will not go wrong...
Hi Brent,
Thanks for your video.
I use Brave browser and got these results for interest's sake.
To me, Brave browser is one of the best privacy browsers out there!
That was a very interesting video too.
---
Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking.
Is your browser:
Blocking tracking ads? Yes
Blocking invisible trackers? Yes
Protecting you from fingerprinting? ◕ your browser has a randomized fingerprint
---
Thank you,
Take care.
Thanks for sharing.
@@brentech You're welcome!
Waterfox just as good😊
Ironically, turning on the Do Not Track setting makes a browser less unique and theoretically more prone to fingerprinting - 1 in 2.3 when it's on, and 1 in 1.77 when it's off.
Which is why Firefox will removed it.
yup, in-fact Firefox recently took the option out of it's settings, so even Mozilla backed away from it.
more unique* -> if a browser is more unique by their settings, it is more prone to fingerprinting
This is why i use Brave browser, it has randomized fingerprint.
I have been using Brave browser for the last 2 years
I use it, but my webgl renderer appears to be unique so all other protections are moot.
@@DEBANJANLASKAR I use since 2019.
Brave is the best browser
@@Techkomsan Without a doubt!
I use different browsers for different purposes. I also use linux operating system, VPN, and a satellite connection (which has an unexpected side benefit of not using the same ground-station all the time, and ergo, my IP address "in the wild" changes without the use of a VPN.
Thank you very much for this info, I didn't know anything about 'Fingerprinting'! I use Edge and it had the same info as yours.
Ran the test got yes-yes-partial, then I disabled all my script, ad blockers, and AV privacy protection, still came up with yes-yes-partial. So my routers own ad and script blocker is doing it, or my ISP, I just switched to a locally ran fiber provider.
you know whats sad is even if you have the fingerprint blocking browser flag turned on it still says you have a unique fingerprint.
it's pretty much like going on the streets with a "do not look at me" sign on your back
@@kevinacosta6606 yep. Just think though they have added a second flag to help prevent browser fingerprinting an it says in the description the flag actually makes you more susceptable to fingerprinting. At this point Google may as well just be honest and say look we are going to track you and steal your browsing data whether you like it or not.
that is true, but then again, the fingerprint resisting may be randomizing data and hence still making it harder to identify you (i.e. you will be uniquely different each visit, to some extent)
@@emeraldpopcorn i'm also using the randomize ip flag too.
I wonder if the EFF tool has ever found a browser without a unique fingerprint? Maybe one way to evade is to take this the other way and create new fingerprints each time?
after failure i installed EFF's Privacy Badger from Cover Your Tracks
*Vivaldi has it's own fingerprint protection too*
*Opera does not but with Privacy Badger it does now*
*Thanx for this video* 👍
i've got privacy badger on my chrome browser... will it still work?
@@jhouriet *i see why not. works on mine. at this moment i went to my Win 7 browsers. i tested with Cover Your Tracks only Brave and Vivaldi passed with strong protection. opera would not allow privacy badger to install. cannot update newer browser it has Manifesto 3 problem. installed UBlock Origin retested with cover your tracks and it passed. i still use my XP, Win 7 have Win 10 and 11 laptops that i've purchased from pawn shops and wiped clean and did my own installs, just incase someone starts with xp/win7 blah blah blah*
Does it affect us Edge users? what about us on RUclips? Did the test on edge browser results were no for the first two and it has unique fingerprinting.
Well for all intents and purposes it IS Chrome as far as security and privacy issues are concerned, treat it as if it was Chrome.
EDGE IS basically chrome by equally worse company... Called MICROSFOT. the recent honey scam remember ?. Well guess who also has shopping coupon checker.... Edge browser has shopping coupon option that just im sure does the same things as honey Extension.... Why would a company like MICROSOFT search for coupons to save money for us paupers for freee? The only reason i use it is its light on my laptop battery and has some nice features. Unlike battery hog called chrome
One thought I would love to be more common is that: It isn't a bad thing to install protection against tracking, even if it might make you unique from the rest!
One common argument against things that should increase your privacy is that it makes you stand out against the rest of the internet users, and thus breaking your anonymity.
But, I have hope that if more users were to use more privacy protection, it would no longer be the case! And in the end, tracking us would just be harder, than if we were to give up on this!
Same argument can be used on another very specific, but irrelevant, topic :P
Excellent video. Looks like my bone stock Chromium build on Linux fails the test.
Big oof. We should start a database of safe browsers. I bet Librewolf is one.
Awesome another "new feature" so google can track your every byte you use in your browser.
Thank you sir!
What irony it is that their OS has a randomized MAC address option on by default making network filtering more difficult yet when their ad revenue is impacted, they don't offer such an option for privacy.
Many thanks. I'd missed this one. Usually use Opera or DuckDuck Go browser. NEVER Edge, tho Microsoft keeps reinstalling it (without asking) with system updates. (I run Win 10 Home, or Pro, depending on machine). I don't regard installing a new browser, unannounced or unasked for, as part of a system 'update'.
If nothing else, look into network-wide protection (your LAN), like Pihole and/or a local cashing DNS. (Ask your geek friend).
A test gave “strong protection” (7 vs 76 bits, user agent) on otherwise vanilla device. Not great, but not really bad either…😊
But does it matter? The last few years you can't find anything with google anymore & it just shows ads. I set brave search as my default because now at least I can find things & there are no ads.
Switch to Brave, run sponsorblock for YT, problem solved!! Don't use Chrome or Edge unless it's just to download another browser.....
adblocker is justified
how can we change the fingerprint? some software?
As suggested use "Brave" which offers a randomised fingerprint by default
Learn how to modify Google software or used brave browser, duck duck go, or libre fox.
You can't prevent publicly accessible info about your browser when you connect somewhere such as websites, since that information is supposed to be trackable for basic functionality.. You can however spoof it as I do..
Actually, after testing the website that you linked with 4 different browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Chromium and Edge) that all came back with exactly the same number of bits that are supposedly be leaked into a fingerprint (17.66 in my case) I doubt that these results are valid and reliable.
Same at least 17.64 bits of identifying information. Whelp might go back to Brave and Tor more.
I do not recall.... perhaps someone could remind me who the top officers of google are?
I sure hope no one could "track" them. That could possibly be bad you know.....
I don't think they recently started implementing this.
Hello just a question. Is the next patch tuseday on now the 14 January because when i look it up it says its on the 16 january on a thursday
Later today on the 14th.
@brentech thank you
How's everything in Cape Town?
you know whats crazy i just right now started getting ads in brave on youtube for the first time in years in years and years smh so pissed
Tried it on Tor browser. Very disappointing results. Why is that , and if this is the case, why use Tor?
You're not supposed to be so finger print resistant that you become not unique
Tor is sooooo slow. It's unusable.
why not have a constantly chaging fingerprint?
Because you can't really change your fingerprint without changing the hardware.
@@Diptangshu813 spoof the hardware and send a different fingerprint..intercept the fingerprint request
*ran the test i failed Not Protected. installed UBlock still says Not Protected*
*UBlock says This extension may soon no longer be supported Remove or replace it with similar extensions from the Chrome Web Store*
Why you even using Chrome after 2021?
@@Mordecrox *have all browsers. chrome just for old rarely used email account. decided to test and it failed. your comment made me check for an update, new update failed too*
Welcome to the world of chromium browsers in 2025 were ublock origin is going to stop working. Even on Brave. There's going to be a light version but we're regressing here and you need to use Firefox to get the full version
@@michael_c2 *my chrome browser is protected, for now*
*edit: forgot to say i installed EFF's Privacy Badger*
Ran the tests and Malwarebytes attempted to block the site!
Good. My firewall and endpoint didn't like it either, let's see at home.
Greetings from Polska. Important topic... btw your lovely accent is Scottish, isn't it ?!?
South African
Firefox=Partial Blocking, Brave=Yes To Blocking, Chrome=No To Blocking
Firefox supports manifest V2 extensions. Ublock origin non light version. That's going to be a huge advantage in the coming years now that Brave is going to be hurt by chromium switch to manifest v3
No no no Google... Fix your your RUclips ads first
Browser digital fingerprinting has been around for a decade. Google didn't just invent it. They may have just started using it.
People stop using Google productivity products. And if you use RUclips, use a VPN that doesn't log, don't use your real name or real email address to set up your account either. This was all basic knowledge back in the day. If you value privacy stop trusting the companies that are selling your digital self to the highest bidder.
I use firefox
Question: Should a site operator be capable of identifying site visitors like a shop demanding ID before entry? Why not?
So... Chrome is going Windows 11 then?
heh! But no technical details about HOW Google intends to carry out their plans. Google has been tracking people since their inception decade+ ago so don't act all surprised !!
Dealing with WebGL, Canvas, User Agent, Cookies tracking techniques should of already been on everyone's defensive tools for YRS!
I don't use Google very much, but like Microsoft I think it's time to move away from Google completely but stay with Firefox.
You're using Google RUclips right now! Some clubs' websites use Google Sites as their framework - I am the Webmaster of one such club. Google Drive is a "cloud" repository of files - used by clubs & churches. Google is in many places where you already go habitually.
Chrome is just simon says with the color wheel
And we pay to use the internet each month about £40 a month in the UK. Think about that we pay for our own stalking..our own money..
On top of digital sl*very being made legal for American companies to profit...
common users don't even care about privacy and stuff like that unfortunately!
The minute you step outside your home, your giving up your privacy. The second you goto open up an internet browser, with every click, and every website you visit, your giving up your privacy. I mean, sure there are mitigations of limiting these but wont completely stop the tracking of you.
Oh god. Imagine a world where employers can scan your digital fingerprint for web search history 🙃
Introduces? Yeah, many years ago!
This is why i don't use google on my 3 computer's,garbage
You're already using several more Google services than you can imagine. RUclips is one of them.
@brianvogt8125 I don't do any of my banking or work on my phone and I don't use youtube on my pcs
The whole "security risk" of ads popping up giving false OS related warnings and whatnot is easily fixed by just installing an ad blocker this is why firefox is so good, won't have to worry about the fingerprinting bs like on chromium browsers lol
I get much better results on Brave than Firefox, even though it is based on Chromium.
this is their next step the first was Destroy all Ad Blockers which also i think starts this year so basically we all need to ditch Chrome
Hasn't Google been doing that for years?
Google Does Evil Now.
Introduces? Hasn't this been a thing for at least a decade?
The actual problem is laws that drive you into the trap.
Me: Brave downloads after this: 100M or 4B?
Brave: yes
Isnt it currently called ad-ID which you can delete?
What i want to know is, why do you need to use Google Chrome? why? aren't there other, better browsers? all these normies complaining, but keep using the same software they complain about
why install anything google
As if people do the same thing every day for their entire life. That's why this crap and AI will never really work, it needs consistency and humans are anything but.
Just de-Google your life...!
WHAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!
Why is that. why. Ima keep using firefox for god sake.
FF has a inique fingerprint for me on ubuntu.
@@EdwinDekker71 My FF just comes back as me being on Linux. Have to check my other browsers later.
Its not coincidence that the Chrome logo contsins a hidden "666"...
As per usual.... ARGH!
Don’t seem evil.
We as Apple users don’t have this issue then all end to end encryption on!
Why does youtube keep defaulting to 360p. So annoying.
i hate ads they just want u to buy buy buy u barely make money they want u to spend it all