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Effective Web Tracking Methods in 2026: Explained
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this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2026
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Privacy
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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
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I recommended Hardened Firefox.
What do you mean by "Firefox lets you get tracked on the server side"? Use that Doh function with any DNS I recommend, like NextDNS, ControlD, or AdGuard, to prevent tracking via the server side. Also, you can use a VPN to hide your IP.
You use container tabs and private tabs, so how are Facebook and Google going to collect your data? A Firefox container means the entire Google login is limited inside that container only; it has no access to outside what happens. At the same time, you have to use a UBlock Origin or any other content blocker to block other types of tracking scripts outside that container.
About fingerprinting. You can tweak the config to make your Firefox more resistant to browser fingerprinting or consider using user scripts like Arkenfox, Better Fox, or Phoenix. There are also preconfigured browsers like LibreWolf and Mullvad Browser available if you are okay with constant breaking of functionality on websites. If none of this is enough, there is tor browser.
you misunderstand me -- firefox is helpful in this respect, but there's only so much it can do.
and i engage in anti-tracking practices and extensions when i learn of them and the point of my comment is that the the developers on the server side inevitably keep finding ways to circumvent each iteration eventually.
i'll always continue to do my best, but it's clear they're the better supplied side in this arms race
Actually the implementation of tracking methods and data collection is much more easier than implementing methods to prevent them.
Can you please point out which service you specifically talking about?
~~i suspected that @spectre@hexbear.net was up to no good. lol~~
edit: whoops, wrong post. lol
to answer your question: my comment was spurred on my instagram recognizing who i was on a device that i had never used before, on a sim/phone plan that i had never used before, using firefox in private mode.
i'm best guess so far is that some sort of 3rd party tracker was part of a different service that i had used the device earlier in the day clued in instagram into who i was.
First of all, avoid giving your mobile number on instagram. It is a very unique identity to identify you. Firefox private browsing mode alone won't help you but browser/profile isolation can be a better solution.
keep in mind that your privacy is not only in your control but other people who saved your number on their phone with real name, other services you used before or the isp iself can sell this data to data brokers. If you used whatsapp with this same number, then that's too a reason behind this.
Furthermore, device fingerprinting, browser fingerprinting, network fingerprinting, etc. pose significant drawbacks in privacy on platforms like instagram.
i use firefox's container tabs feature heavily and minimize instagram/facebook as much as possible.
i suspect that google was the one that leaked my information on this brand new device because i put google voice on it and the entire world knows me from that number instead of any of the multitudes of ephemeral phone numbers i use from the carriers in this country.
i never shared any of those numbers with instagram, but i suspect that they're getting it from google nevertheless.
What would one use if they were sailin the sea's watchin stuff?
Use Librewolf + uBlock Origin (already pre-installed) + NextDNS via in-built DOH settings.
A well-trusted VPN service like Mullvad, Proton (which has unlimited free bandwidth with free servers), IVPN or Windscribe is also recommended.
Additionally, add these recommended filter lists to uBlock Origin.
https://github.com/yokoffing/filterlists
Thank you!!