Cross Site Tracking on iPad and How to Prevent It

Cross site tracking on iPad can be a real concern for users who value their online privacy. This type of tracking allows websites to collect and share your browsing data across different sites, often without your knowledge or consent.

Cookies are a primary method used for cross site tracking on iPad. These small files are stored on your device and contain information about your browsing habits.

To prevent cross site tracking on iPad, it's essential to understand the risks associated with cookies. The article reveals that cookies can be used to create a unique identifier for each user, making it easier for websites to track their online activities.

By limiting cookie tracking, you can significantly reduce the risk of your personal data being shared across websites.

Apple has updated the WKWebView class to include WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Prevention mechanisms by default in all iOS and iPad browsers, starting with iOS 14 and iPad 14.

This means that all browsers, except for Brave, have already updated to the latest OS requirements, and Brave should follow up with a new build shortly.

The main change can be found in Settings for each browser app, where the "Allow Cross-Website Tracking" setting is toggled off by default.

Here are some of the WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Prevention mechanisms that are now enabled by default:

Note that there seems to be a bug with the implementation across iOS browsers, and not all these mechanisms are in effect even if the "Allow Cross-Website Tracking" toggle is left to its default position of OFF.

To opt-out of Facebook's data tracking feature, you can update your device to iOS 14.5 or later and click the "Ask App not to Track" option before installation is completed.

This will help prevent Facebook from tracking your activity across websites and apps on your device.

All iOS and iPad browsers now implement WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Prevention mechanisms by default, thanks to the update of the WKWebView class. This means that tracking prevention is now enabled in all browsers running on iOS 14 and iPad 14.

The new setting "Allow Cross-Website Tracking" is toggled off in each browser app, which means that all these browsers are now implementing the full scale of WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Prevention mechanisms.

These mechanisms include, among others:

However, there seems to be a bug with the implementation across iOS browsers, and not all these mechanisms are in effect even if the "Allow Cross-Website Tracking" toggle is left to its default position of OFF.

This is a significant development, as the development of these web browsers is now intrinsically linked to the evolution of WebKit's tracking prevention mechanisms.

WebKit restricts the lifetime of JavaScript cookies to a maximum of 7 days.

This can have an impact on the ratio of “new” and “returning” users in analytics tools.

Sites can recycle cookies so that they are set in HTTP headers instead, a known mitigation that doesn't go against WebKit's policies.

The likelihood of the same individual being included in different experiment groups increases due to this restriction.

You can opt-out of Facebook's data tracking feature on your iPhone by updating to iOS 14.5 or later.

To do this, you need to update your device to the latest software version, which will give you the option to click "Ask App not to Track" before installation is completed.

This feature allows you to control how Facebook tracks your activity on other apps and websites.

By clicking "Ask App not to Track", you'll be telling Facebook to stop collecting data from other apps and websites.

This is a powerful tool that gives you control over your online data.