Safari doubles down on privacy as online tracking gets scarier
Safari doubles down on privacy as online tracking gets scarier
Publish Date: 2026-06-03 23:59:00
Source Domain: technology.inquirer.net
The modern web runs on data. Every click, search, purchase, and website visit can be collected, analyzed, and used to build detailed profiles of users. While many browsers have gradually introduced privacy features over the years, Apple is continuing to make privacy a core part of Safari’s identity.
One of Safari’s longest-running privacy features is its blocking of third-party cookies. Apple became the first major browser vendor to block all third-party cookies by default in 2019, preventing many advertisers and tracking networks from following users across multiple websites.
Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) expands on that protection by using machine learning to identify tracking behavior. Once detected, tracker data is immediately removed, while known trackers are prevented from seeing a user’s IP address. Users can also view Safari’s Privacy Report, which shows how many trackers have been blocked and which websites attempted to use them.
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Apple has also focused heavily on combating browser fingerprinting, a technique increasingly used by advertisers and data companies as traditional cookies become less effective. Instead of relying on stored cookies, fingerprinting attempts to identify users through device characteristics such as screen resolution, installed fonts, operating system configurations, and browser settings.
For iCloud+ subscribers, Apple offers another layer of protection through Private Relay alongside the Hide My Email option. The service hides a user’s IP address across Safari browsing sessions, preventing both internet providers and websites from building browsing profiles based on location or network information. Apple says the system is designed so that neither Apple nor the network provider can view a user’s complete browsing activity.
Privacy protections also extend to browser extensions, which have become increasingly powerful…
