Internet

The issue of digital tracking and online privacy is an increasingly pressing concern in the era of digitization. When a user browses the internet, various elements such as IP addresses, cookies, and data entered into forms contribute to the creation of a digital profile, often exploited for advertising purposes. Mechanisms like private browsing have been developed to offer a semblance of confidentiality, but their efficacy is debatable.

Private Browsing vs. Regular Browsing

It is crucial to distinguish between private browsing and regular browsing. The former offers several advantages, such as not retaining browsing history, not storing data entered into forms, and disabling browser extensions by default. Moreover, in this mode, cookies—text files containing variables associated with values—are not stored. Although these measures may seem protective, they do not guarantee complete online anonymity.

The Role of Cookies

Cookies play a key role in the browsing experience. They are designed to store useful information, such as the user's language or login credentials, thereby facilitating interaction with websites. While these text files are inherently harmless, their usage has been co-opted for advertising purposes through the deployment of third-party cookies. Unlike regular cookies, which are deposited by the site the user visits, third-party cookies are deposited by external entities, often advertising networks like Google or Facebook.

Third-Party Cookies and Online Tracking

These third-party cookies enable these networks to track the user's browsing activity across different websites. They collect data that is then used to construct a digital profile of the user, thereby making advertising more targeted. Their ubiquity is facilitated by the development of free tools for webmasters, thus ensuring almost universal reach.

Limitations of Private Browsing

Private browsing may prevent the storage of cookies, but it cannot prevent these advertising networks from tracking the user's activity through other means, such as the IP address. Moreover, even in private mode, the user often has to interact with these advertising networks, as they are integrated into many websites.

The examination of the interaction between internet browsing and user data collection raises complex questions related to privacy and digital surveillance. A common consumer-targeting practice is "retargeting," which involves tracking a person's online activities to present them with relevant advertisements on other platforms. For example, a search conducted to purchase a coffee machine on a specialized website will likely result in advertisements for coffee machines appearing on other websites subsequently visited.

Many people believe that resorting to private browsing is an effective method to escape this surveillance. However, this assumption is flawed for several reasons. First, although private browsing prevents the retention of third-party cookies after the session is closed, this measure is insufficient. If a user logs into their Google or Facebook account in private mode, they explicitly provide platforms with information that allows tracking. Second, private browsing does not prevent the visibility of the IP address, a key element enabling online identification.

Identification is not limited to cookies and IP addresses. Another method, known as "fingerprinting," is increasingly prevalent. It involves collecting technical information about a user's web browser, such as screen resolution, language used, and other specifics, to create a nearly unique "fingerprint" of the browser. According to a survey by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-governmental organization specializing in digital rights, 83.6% of browsers have a unique fingerprint, which facilitates user tracking.

Fingerprinting has also become a common practice on mobile devices. When Apple introduced the "App Tracking Transparency" feature, which asks users if they wish to be tracked by applications, developers responded by using fingerprinting to circumvent this limitation.

Private browsing is often perceived as a means to guarantee online anonymity, but this perception is largely erroneous. Although private browsing may prevent the storage of browsing history, cookies, and form data on a computer, it does not conceal browsing data from Internet Service Providers, employers, or major tech companies. Moreover, this form of browsing does not protect against surveillance by intelligence services or targeted advertising.

It is also important to note that even if the browsing history is deleted, it is not securely erased. Forensic analysis techniques can be used to recover deleted data, which can be particularly useful in criminal investigations.

For those seeking to maintain a higher level of anonymity, alternatives exist. One of the most commonly recommended methods is the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). However, this solution has its own drawbacks, including shifting trust from your Internet Service Provider to the VPN provider, which may be located in a less regulated jurisdiction.

Another option is the use of the Tor network (The Onion Router), a global and decentralized network that overlays layers of encryption onto browsing. The Tor browser redirects traffic through at least three randomly chosen proxy servers, making it more difficult to trace the user.

For those seeking to maximize their anonymity, portable operating systems can be installed on USB drives. These systems, recommended by whistleblowers like Edward Snowden, allow users to browse the internet via the Tor network without leaving traces on the host computer. Once the USB drive is disconnected, all data is erased, as if the user had never used the computer.

Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that complete online anonymity is difficult to achieve for the average user. A simple first step to improve online privacy is to decline third-party cookies and use browser extensions that block trackers. While these measures do not guarantee anonymity, they can significantly reduce the level of online tracking.