Company
Date Published
Author
Josh Alletto
Word count
1308
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Browser fingerprinting is a technique used to identify and track website visitors without relying on cookies or login sessions by collecting various browser parameters, such as browser type, version, language, screen dimensions, and installed plugins. While this method helps in detecting fraudulent activities and optimizing user experiences without requiring logins, it raises privacy concerns as companies can build detailed user profiles for advertising purposes. Common methods like clearing cookies, browsing in incognito mode, or using a VPN are largely ineffective against fingerprinting. Some browsers, like Firefox and Brave, offer partial mitigation strategies, but these are not foolproof against sophisticated techniques. Fingerprint Pro is highlighted as a tool that combines browser fingerprinting with additional data to generate accurate visitor IDs, providing a valuable resource for developers to combat fraud and spam. The tool can be tested with a 14-day free trial, allowing website operators to explore its capabilities for reducing fraud while acknowledging that users can attempt to avoid identification by switching browsers.