fingerprinting

What is "fingerprinting"?

The term "fingerprinting" comes from the English word "fingerprint," which refers to a fingerprint or simply an "imprint."
Literally, fingerprinting is therefore the action of collecting fingerprints.

In marketing, fingerprinting is an online tracking technique that involves collecting unique and specific information about a user or device to create a distinctive "digital fingerprint." This fingerprint is then used to identify and track the user across various online activities, even if cookies or other traditional tracking methods are disabled.

What are the characteristics of "fingerprinting"?

Fingerprinting can be based on various characteristics, such as browser information (version, installed extensions, settings), operating system settings, hardware details (screen resolution, device model), installed fonts, IP addresses, plug-ins, and other unique attributes of the device and browsing environment.

This technique is often used for advertising and profiling purposes, allowing advertisers to persistently track users and collect data on their online preferences and behavior. However, fingerprinting raises privacy concerns because it enables invasive tracking without the user's explicit consent. Furthermore, it can be difficult for users to control or block this tracking method because it does not rely on easily identifiable elements such as cookies.