Perhaps Fingerprinting isn't as Effective as we Thought.

ChelonianEgghead · Unread post by **ChelonianEgghead** » 2019-05-09, 00:47

Here's an interesting article I found, according to which the 83% uniqueness statistic for browser fingerprinting is not representative of all internet users. The actual figure has been found to be two thirds. https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2018/06/2 ... rprinting/ On the other hand, No-zilla's Webextensions API has killed online privacy by making ani-fingerprinting countermeasures fingerprints in and of themselves - add-ons developed with the new add-on API are just too slow to be effective at this stuff, and scripts from sites can tell that the canvas data has been poisoned consequently. That's really an oversimplification, so I highly recommend checking out the full article here. https://www.ghacks.net/2018/07/04/study ... rmeasures/

Unread post by **vannilla** » 2019-05-09, 06:52

ChelonianEgghead wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 00:47
No-zilla's Webextensions API has killed online privacy

That's certainly shocking. Or is it?

Unread post by **Moonchild** » 2019-05-09, 06:55

vannilla wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 06:52

ChelonianEgghead wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 00:47
No-zilla's Webextensions API has killed online privacy
That's certainly shocking. Or is it?

All in the name of the "Open Web"™

fatboy · Unread post by **fatboy** » 2019-05-09, 11:49

So what would you say is the best approach to stay anonymous?
Use Palemoon without any extensions?

Unread post by **Moonchild** » 2019-05-09, 13:05

fatboy wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 11:49
So what would you say is the best approach to stay anonymous?

Don't browse the web.

Seriously that is the ONLY way to stay anonymous: don't be present. "Online anonymity" can be approached but never achieved, as in, you can make it harder, but not impossible, for someone to find out you are person X, even if "person X" is as far as they get with personal information -- that kind of detail isn't needed for big data profiling anyway.

You have to keep in mind something I've said many times over, and that is that the Internet is a public place. You cannot be private in a public space; that is a paradox.

Kingpin · Unread post by **Kingpin** » 2019-05-09, 17:53

fatboy wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 11:49
So what would you say is the best approach to stay anonymous?
Use Palemoon without any extensions?

Most fingerprinting is done by javascript, so block that with eMatrix if it doesn't break the site. You should also use a VPN.

ChelonianEgghead · Unread post by **ChelonianEgghead** » 2019-05-09, 22:41

Moonchild wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 13:05
Don't browse the web...

You have to keep in mind something I've said many times over, and that is that the Internet is a public place. You cannot be private in a public space; that is a paradox.

I mean, there's no way you can be truly anonymous online, and there never has been, but do you think it's still better to try and limit the amount of data collected, if possible?

ChelonianEgghead · Unread post by **ChelonianEgghead** » 2019-05-09, 22:47

fatboy wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 11:49
So what would you say is the best approach to stay anonymous?
Use Palemoon without any extensions?

I was referring to Firefox, Pale Moon extensions may not have this problem (I'll have to test it) but from what I understand, you should at least block as much JavaScript as you can to avoid trackers, and if you want to hide from your ISP (who will often cooperate with the trackers these days) find a reputable (NOT FREE!) VPN.

Anyway, my original point was that fingerprinting has been proven to be significantly less effective than most people thought, and that paradoxically, trying to block it can actually make matters worse depending on how it's done. Really, though, the only way to block it entirely is to have international treaties making something like the GDPR worldwide. One question though - how are businesses so stupid that they'd rather block potential customers in the EU and make no money from them at all than stop tracking them, but still maybe have them buy their products after visiting their sites? Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems pretty stupid to me.

Moonraker · Unread post by **Moonraker** » 2019-05-09, 22:48

Indeed the internet is very a public placr and our world has become so much closer in light of this.Best we can do is wear a mask and disguise.

Nigaikaze · Unread post by **Nigaikaze** » 2019-05-09, 23:09

Moonraker wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 22:48
Best we can do is wear a mask and disguise.

And a tin foil hat. Don't forget the tin foil hat.

Unread post by **Isengrim** » 2019-05-10, 00:02

Nigaikaze wrote: ↑
2019-05-09, 23:09
And a tin foil hat. Don't forget the tin foil hat.

What about a suit of tin foil armor?

Nigaikaze · Unread post by **Nigaikaze** » 2019-05-10, 00:19

Isengrim wrote: ↑
2019-05-10, 00:02
What about a suit of tin foil armor?

Works for me!

tin-foil.jpg

John connor · Unread post by **John connor** » 2019-05-10, 04:33

My tinfoil is gold plaited to prevent the Rhyolite Sats from reading my brain waves.

Sampei Nihira · Unread post by **Sampei Nihira** » 2019-05-10, 16:34

I configure all my browsers to get a good level of privacy.
It is certainly more difficult to obtain a good level of privacy from Chrome-based browsers.
I am disturbed by the possible violations of privacy offered by fingerprinting.
So I'm very careful to configure all my browsers with anti-fingeprinting setup.

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Perhaps Fingerprinting isn't as Effective as we Thought.

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