Display Website Tracker Information

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 23, 2009
Updated • Feb 16, 2015
Firefox, Firefox add-ons
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2

Most websites have tracking systems installed. Some use internal trackers to analyze traffic on the site while others may use external analytics services such as Google Analytics, embed advertisement or display social media widgets.

Internet users may not be aware of this at all as this happens in the background for the most part. While some may run security software such as NoScript that informs them about these connections, most are probably unaware of what is happening in the backend.

That's where Tracker Watcher comes into play. The Firefox add-on analyzes the active website for trackers and displays all on an external page. It provides information about anonymity, sharing of information, sensitivity and deletion in an easy to understand manner.

  • Anonymity: Is the data anonymized or tracked across websites?
  • Sharing: Do they share the information with third parties?
  • Sensitivity: Do they use the information in sensitive personal areas like health conditions or financial matters?
  • Deletion: Do they promise to delete the information?

Links to privacy statements of trackers are provided if available. Some trackers are not included in the list but are listed below the table. This could mean that the service does not have enough information yet about those trackers so that they are not added to the table.

The very same page links to opt-out pages for advertisers that support that option. Those links lead to the website of the developer of the tracker where the opt-out can be activated.

The Tracker Watcher website contains another link to a global opt-out page to opt out of all 91 companies that have been analyzed by the service or only 71 of those companies that have raised concerns.

Tracker Watcher can be downloaded from the Mozilla Firefox website.

Update: Tracker Watcher has been pulled from the Mozilla add-ons website. Firefox users can use add-ons like IPvFox or Ghostery which display similar information in the browser. Especially Ghostery is fairly similar to Tracker Watcher.

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Comments

  1. paulus said on September 23, 2009 at 7:17 pm
    Reply

    Hoi Martin sorry for this maybe (a bit) chaotic question works this app. like the super cookie safeguard from usually not deletable LSO’s named BetterPrivacy. Or is it a extra low? Or works this app. like Ghostery to block web tracking script? Or is it a extra low? Or works this app. like the phising protecting application LocalRodeo? Or is it a extra low? Or works this app like Safe who Increases the Internet Security with safe SSL? Or is it a extra low? Or is this something like the targeted advertising cookie Opt-Out (TACO)? Or is it a extra low? Or works this app. like the universal behavioral advertising Opt-out 0.1. Or is it a extra low? And when i have above named (standing) apps. installed do i need this (extra) program? And can this program work with all of above programs? Like a extra layer? And do i need to uninstall one of the above standing apps?

    1. Martin said on September 23, 2009 at 7:25 pm
      Reply

      Paulus the add-on was mainly designed to display the information with options to opt-out if you like. I think the opt-out cookie is the same that is offered by Privacy Choice. I have not done any comparison between all the opt-out cookies that are offered.

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