Safari Cross Site Tracking and How to Prevent It

Safari is vulnerable to cross-site tracking due to a feature called Universal Cross-Site Tracking (UXST).

This feature allows websites to track users across multiple sites, even if they're using a private browsing mode.

Safari's tracking prevention feature, designed to block third-party cookies, can be bypassed by websites using UXST.

Websites can use UXST to track users without their consent, making it harder to maintain online privacy.

Safari Cross Site Tracking is a feature that allows websites to track users across multiple sites. It's enabled by default in Safari.

This feature uses a technology called Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) to limit the ability of websites to track users. ITP was introduced by Apple in 2017 to improve user privacy.

Safari Cross Site Tracking can be disabled in the browser settings, but it's not recommended as it can compromise user privacy.

Safari has a built-in feature called Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) that helps block cross-site tracking.

Safari's ITP works by limiting the amount of data that websites can collect from users.

Cookies are used to track users across different websites, but Safari's ITP reduces the effectiveness of these cookies.

Safari also limits the amount of time that cookies can be stored on a user's device.

This means that websites can't collect as much data about users as they could before.

Safari's ITP is a powerful tool for protecting user privacy.

It's worth noting that Safari's ITP has been updated over time to further limit cross-site tracking.

These updates have made it even more difficult for websites to collect data about users.

Safari Cross Site Tracking is a feature that allows websites to track users across different websites and apps.

It's enabled by default in Safari, which means you're likely already being tracked without even realizing it.

Safari uses a technology called Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) to limit tracking, but it's not a foolproof solution.

ITP blocks cookies and other tracking mechanisms, but it can be bypassed by websites that use more advanced techniques.

Safari also has a feature called Private Browsing that can help prevent tracking, but it's not the same as disabling Cross Site Tracking altogether.

Private Browsing only hides your browsing history and doesn't prevent websites from tracking you.

Web beacons, also known as web bugs, are tiny images embedded in web pages or emails that notify a server when loaded or opened. They track who accesses the page or email and when.

Cookies are another type of tracker, implanted by companies into your browser to collect data on your browsing activity. Invisible scripts can also run in the background, logging your IP address, device specifications, and other identifying information.

Website trackers are tiny images or scripts that collect data on your browsing activity. They're often used by advertisers to monitor who accesses a page or email and when.

Web beacons, also known as web bugs, are tiny images embedded in web pages or emails, typically just one pixel in size. They notify the server when you load a page or open an email, allowing advertisers to track your browsing behavior.

Cookies and scripts are common types of tracking tools used by websites. Cookies are files implanted into your browser, while scripts run in the background of visited pages, logging your IP address, device specifications, and other identifying information.

The Facebook Pixel is a well-known web beacon that tracks almost every aspect of your web browsing activity, helping advertisers put up targeted ads for you or others with similar behavior.

Canvas Fingerprinting is a browser fingerprinting technique that uses the HTML5 canvas element to track visitors. This element allows websites to instruct your browser to draw hidden graphics, creating a unique image for each user.

The way these graphics render varies based on individual device settings like the graphics card and system hardware, resulting in a unique digital fingerprint. This unique image can provide accurate information when coupled with other tracking data.

Canvas fingerprinting is the practice of websites deciphering how the user's browser responds to graphical instructions. Any website with this feature can direct your browser to draw a hidden image, resulting in a unique image for every user.

HTML5, the latest version of the coding language HTML, includes canvas fingerprinting as an effective tracking and fingerprinting tool.

Cross-site tracking in Safari can be problematic in several ways. Not knowing what's up with your data is what makes it tricky.

Those third parties, like data brokers, affiliate networks, and advertising networks, use cookies and other data tracking methods to collect information about your browsing habits without your consent. This can be alarming, especially when you don't know how much of your data is being collected or for what purposes.

Cross-website tracking raises significant privacy and security concerns. Not knowing how much of your data is collected and for what purposes can be a legitimate concern in today's digital world.

Third parties often collect our data without clear consent using cookies and web beacons. This lack of transparency, combined with complex terms presented on websites, can make it difficult to understand where your data might end up.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are taking heed of these concerns and have developed regulations to address them. GDPR requires websites to provide users with opt-in consent forms before collecting personal user data.

Safari cross-site tracking is a common phenomenon that can be a bit sneaky. Cross-site tracking often works by planting a small file known as a cookie in your browser.

Cookies remain on your device until removed, monitoring your activity and relaying data back to the company who placed it. This can be done without your knowledge or consent.

Companies can also use social media like, share, and comment buttons to track you across any websites that use those features. If you’re logged into your social media accounts, those platforms can connect your browsing habits to your profiles.

Trackers continuously log every action you take when you browse the web. These trackers are small pieces of software like widgets, scripts, or tiny images embedded in the code of the websites you visit.

You may have noticed social media buttons embedded on websites, which are often included for analytics but also send your data back to those platforms to create user profiles for targeted advertisements.

Some of the most common trackers include widgets, scripts, or minuscule images embedded on any website you visit.

You don't need to be a tech expert to protect yourself from cross-site tracking. In fact, most modern browsers come with tools to help stop trackers from monitoring and logging your activity without your consent.

To prevent cross-site tracking, you can adjust your browser settings to limit or fully block it. For example, in Safari, you can turn on "Prevent cross-site tracking" in the Privacy settings.

Using a VPN can also help improve your online privacy, but it doesn't directly prevent cross-site tracking. However, some VPNs like NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro feature include a tracker blocker that effectively stops third-party trackers from collecting data about your browsing behavior.

The European Union and California have strict regulations like the GDPR and CCPA that prohibit tracking user data without explicit consent. If you're from a region with less stringent privacy laws, you can still protect yourself by adjusting your browser settings.

You can also use a top-tier VPN like VeePN that includes anti-tracking protection. To block trackers once and for all, you should choose a VPN service that includes tracker blocking.

Here are some steps you can take to prevent cross-site tracking:

Remember, protecting your online privacy has never been easier. By taking these simple steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of cross-site tracking and keep your data safe.

You can prevent cross-site tracking in Safari by going to Safari > Preferences, clicking the Privacy tab, and ticking Prevent cross-site tracking. This will also give you access to Safari's comprehensive Privacy Report.

To view the Privacy Report, click the shield icon to the left of your address bar and see how many trackers your browser has blocked on the current page. You can also click Trackers on This Web Page to see exactly what items Safari prevented from tracking you.

Here are the steps to disable cross-site tracking on different devices:

You can also check if there are third-party cookies in your browser and use a browser extension to block unwanted monitoring tools. Some popular browser extensions that stop cross-site tracking include Privacy Badger, uBlock Origin, and Ghostery.

Cookies are a crucial part of the browsing experience, and understanding how they work is essential for protecting your online privacy. They're small packets of data that get stored on your device's hard drive when you visit a website.

Cookies can be categorized into different types, including persistent cookies, which stay on your device until their set expiration date, and session cookies, which are temporary and disappear when you close your browser. These types of cookies are generally used to boost your browsing experience by remembering your passwords and language preferences.

Third-party cookies, on the other hand, are created by domains other than the one you are visiting and are used to track your online behavior, mainly for targeted advertising. Super cookies are even more invasive, staying on your computer indefinitely and collected in a different part of the hard drive.

Here's a breakdown of the different types of cookies:

By understanding how cookies work and the different types available, you can take steps to protect your online privacy and limit the tracking of your online behavior.

Disabling cross-site tracking is a straightforward process. You can prevent cross-site tracking in Safari by going to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and ticking Prevent cross-site tracking.

To stop cross-site tracking in Safari on your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app, scroll down and tap on Safari, and then toggle on Prevent cross-site tracking under Privacy & security.

You can also disable cross-site tracking in other browsers like Chrome and Firefox. In Chrome, go to Settings, click Cookies and other site data under the Privacy and security option, and turn off Send a “Do not track” request with your browsing traffic.

Firefox has an in-built Private Browsing with Tracking Protection feature that prevents third parties from tracking your browsing activity across multiple websites. To enable it, open the Firefox browser, go to Settings, tap on the Privacy and Security panel, and select the Custom radio button under Enhanced Tracking Protection to select what to block.

Here's a quick rundown of how to disable cross-site tracking in different browsers: