From IP Tracking to Digital Fingerprinting - The Current State of Online Privacy

Online users are always in a constant privacy battle against tech companies and advertisers. Users assert their right to privacy against websites collecting their personal data, including IP addresses, while tech companies counter that users agree to share this information in exchange for free online services.

The increasing demand for users’ privacy however, has placed tech companies in a difficult position to find solutions as they try to enforce some form of privacy while appeasing advertisers.

Google’s Proposal for a Common Ground

As the leader in search engine technology and other online services, Google has been actively looking for solutions to give users some form of privacy while giving advertisers the information they need.

In their Github Post, Google is proposing the following:

“Chrome is introducing an updated proposal to protect users’ IP addresses on qualifying traffic when browsing in Incognito mode. This protection applies to domains on the MDL in a third-party context, when users are signed into their Google account in the Chrome browser before starting an Incognito session.”

This proposal for now is still very limited because it’s only limited when you use Chrome in incognito with your Google account signed-in.

IP protection from Google will be implemented on domains included in the Masked Domain List or MDL. To fully understand MDLs, think of them as hidden websites that use another name for various purposes such as name recognition, protection and advertising.

But that doesn’t mean every MDL will no longer see users’ IP addresses because their IP address will only be masked if the MDL is embedded on the original website the user visited. If the user willingly visits a website part of MDL, their IP address will be revealed.

This scenario is a nightmare for advertisers and websites but Google’s proposal is that “the masked IP address retains IP-based geolocation information down to a user’s coarse location (including country), but it can't be used to track an individual user across websites over time.”

Enter Digital Fingerprinting

Of course, this early proposal has already set advertisers and other tech companies on the path for fresh solutions in case IP tracking is outrightly prohibited. Digital fingerprinting could be the next privacy challenge for users.

Digital fingerprinting doesn’t use IP addresses to track users. According to Splunk, “Digital fingerprinting collects and analyzes various data points from your device or browser.” Device information, type of browser and settings, fonts and more could be used to create a unique fingerprint for each user. An IP address could be used as part of the fingerprint but if this data is really disabled or inaccessible in the future, there are other data points available for websites to create a profile.

This could be scary for every security concerned individual out there because there is no hiding from digital fingerprinting. It practically creates a unique profile for every visitor.

From IP Address Tracking To Digital Fingerprinting

An IP address is one of the most important pieces of information every user has to protect. Aside from advertising and tracking, an exposed IP address could lead to serious security issues. Small steps are being taken to protect users from exposure, while digital fingerprinting is emerging as an alternative identification method for some websites. To maximize their protection and privacy, especially in online settings, users must be mindful of how they interact with each website.

Ultimately, online privacy is actually a shared responsibility between users, tech companies, and advertisers. By recognizing the limitations of current privacy measures and the emergence of digital fingerprinting, individuals must empower themselves to make informed decisions about their online activities and they must keep demanding better privacy protections.