Take a look at your fingertips. There you have a whirling maze of lines, and when you touch any surface, you leave your unique fingerprint on it. It’s the same with your web browser – even though you can’t see it, every move you make online leaves a virtual fingerprint.

Digital fingerprints

Just like your real fingerprint, your browser’s fingerprint is unique. It’s a complex combination of information, such as browser language, system version, location of your device, screen size & color depth, along with similar pieces of information. Every time you visit a website, your browser sends a request to connect. During this query, your browser sort of introduces itself by providing different pieces of information – about the browser itself, your computer, and you.

Your data safety

Is it bad to provide this information? As with many aspects of the internet, the answer is: it depends. A lot of this data, like your resolution or preferred language, helps display the right version of a web page for you – adjusted to fit your screen, and in the right language (if the site offers your preferred language). However, when combined with other data, such as the fonts installed on your device, your operating system version, and local time – which may seem unimportant on the surface – a unique picture emerges of you, or – to be more specific – your device and user preferences.

Secure your browsing

More and more browsers, like Opera Browser, offer the ability to block ads and invisible trackers. To further enhance the protection of your device and data, it’s worth taking more serious steps, such as using a VPN. We wrote about what a VPN is in more detail here. In a nutshell, a good VPN allows you to mask your IP address and identity, with all data sent through a secure tunnel that provides an extra layer of safety and privacy. 

Three steps to increase your security 

• Use an ad blocker
  • We’ve got you covered with a native ad blocker built into all Opera Browsers.
• Use a tracker blocker
  • Opera Browsers have this as well. Opera’s ad blocker has this functionality built-in as well.
• Use a good VPN
  • Not only do we have a free VPN to protect your browsing session, but also VPN Pro for device-wide safety and privacy.

Try it for free

If you’re not sure whether a VPN is right for you, try out the free VPN built into Opera Browser. You can also take advantage of the free trial period for VPN Pro – we’ll remind you when your free trial is ending, so you can decide whether to continue with the increased security for yourself, your data, and your entire device. VPN Pro from Opera lets you protect ‌six devices at once, so you can use it wherever you are – in your own home, a hotel, or your favorite restaurant.

You deserve privacy

Although the data collected by sites you visit seems harmless, the increasing amount of it creates quite a distinct profile of your device, and of you. Even if you think you have nothing to hide, you deserve privacy in every aspect of your life, and that includes your online activity. With these tools at your disposal in Opera Browsers, not only can you reduce your online fingerprint, you can also make your fingerprint unreadable, with just a few clicks.

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