Keeping anonymous data separate from identity¶

Breaking the links between online activity and a real identity takes only a few habits, each aimed at a different chain that trackers rely on.

Break tracking chains¶

Different browsers for different purposes keep contexts apart: Firefox Focus for sensitive browsing such as medical or financial searches, and a regular browser only for logged-in services like email or social media. Privacy features such as Total Cookie Protection in Firefox or Strict tracking prevention in Microsoft Edge limit how far a site can follow a visitor.

Scramble the fingerprint¶

Sites identify a device by small details such as screen size and browser settings. An extension like CanvasBlocker fakes some of these, and setting the screen resolution to a common value such as 1920×1080 helps a device blend in with the crowd rather than stand out.

Separate identities¶

Different email addresses for different parts of life, one for banking, another for social media, a third for shopping and newsletters, keep an exposure contained. If one account leaks, it does not automatically reveal the rest.

Hide location patterns¶

Turning off Wi-Fi and GPS when they are not needed reduces passive location logging. Apple’s Private Wi-Fi Address and Android’s randomised MAC keep a device from being recognised across networks.

Disrupt timing correlation¶

To make activity harder to link over time, a random delay of a few minutes to a couple of hours before posting to social media breaks the timing signal. Occasional visits to unrelated sites add noise to whatever profile a tracker is assembling.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-08.