So if I'm identified as unique how bad is that? Is fingerprinting so critical that it makes all my other attempts at privacy pointless, or is it a niche edge-case that you don't really need to worry about?

[–] imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I do not think ads would keep tracking you though browser fingerprinting. Maybe just a little.

But, say, you are being prosecuted and your traffic is being looked at. No one can defend you if a fingerprint of your browser shows up somewhere where it shoulnd't have been. You being a unique one with this fingerprint means that nobody but your machine accessed that IP address.

[–] Hudell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Would a fingerprint uniqueness hold up in court?

It kinda feels like saying: "we know the crime was committed by someone who's this tall with this hair color and this skin color and has this tattoo on the right arm and who speaks these three languages and we have never seen anyone else who matches all of those things so it must be you"

[–] imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If it points to your IP but not your PC - probably won't hold. Same if IP is wrong but fingerprint is fine. But if both are matching, there is no doubt. You know, not many Windows 11 Pro Laptops with intel 125H, 4060m, 1440p 144hz screen, Firefox version, exact same font list, system language, setting preferences exist on the planet. It is a fingerprint in the similar way an actual fingerprint works.

[–] Hudell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh right I hadn't thought of combining it with the IP itself.

[–] ulterno@programming.dev 0 points 20 hours ago

Yeah, so e.g. you open site A without a VPN and then later, site B with a VPN on the same browser.
Your browser is now recognised and site B may sell you ads based on what you did on site A, or maybe region-block you based on your IP with site A.

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