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Heard that your browser is giving up your privacy? Unfortunately, it’s the truth: your browser knows everything about you. Moreover, your browser has a unique fingerprint that can be used to identify you online—and this is how you find out just how unique you are.
How to Find Out How Identifiable Your Browser Is
Browser fingerprinting is the process of collecting data to identify you online. Your browser’s attributes are compiled to create a unique identifier using data like your operating system, screen resolution, browser type and extensions, installed languages, fonts, and more.
Each browser has a level of uniqueness, which is whereAm I Uniquecomes into play. This handy browser fingerprint detection website quickly details how unique your browser is and assigns you a score. All you have to do is pressSee My Fingerprintand let Am I Unique check out your browser configuration.
So, for the version of Chrome I’m currently using, I am entirely unique within Am I Unique’s nearly three million samples.
Which isn’t good. Extensions, fonts, user agent settings, JavaScript controls, and more are used to create the unique profile; my browser has multiple unique configurations that make it identifiable.
My Browser Is Unique: What to Do Next
In short, you want to become the most general browser you may be. Any custom settings should be removed or reduced, and using the most common settings available should be the goal.
For example, if you use a slightly different browser resolution size, that’s an immediate unique characteristic. Similarly, using additional languages alongside English or even using the wrong type of content language can make you stand out. The Am I Unique fingerprinting check revealed that somewhere along the way, I’ve added that I accept Spanish as a primary language in the HTTP header sent to each site. It was suddenly clear why some websites present in Spanish to me!
But even small details like your previously visited site count against you. For example, I visited Am I Unique after using the work management tool Asana. Although millions of people use Asana each day, heading from Asana to Am I Unique was a completely new attribute, and therefore, it counted against my browser fingerprinting score.
You can also use browser extensions to block browser fingerprinting or change your browser altogether.
Browser fingerprinting is an irritation, yet another privacy issue you have to contend with. But thankfully, there are a few easy ways to boost your privacy and make yourself blend into the browser crowd.
