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Don't want sites tracking your activity? Here's how you can ask them to stop

And it’s an option that’s available on all major browsers.

SOMETIMES YOU WILL prefer sites not to be tracking your browsing activity or serving up personalised ads.

If so, you should be aware that all major browsers have a Do Not Track option available. This sends a request to any site you visit asking it not to track your activity.

The site in question has to decide whether to honour that request or not, but if it does, it could stop offering personalised ads or limit the amount of information it gathers on you while you’re visiting.

The five major browsers support this service and it can be activated in settings. If you want to quickly check whether you have it activated, you can visit its site, but if you don’t, here’s how.

Chrome

On the main settings screen, scroll down to the bottom and select advanced settings. Continue down to privacy and you will see the Do Not Track option. The app version also has it in Settings > Privacy.

Chrome Do Not Track Chrome Chrome

Firefox

Go into Settings > Privacy and it’s the first option you see. If you want, you can choose to tell sites you want to be tracked or leave it on default (not telling them anything about your tracking preference). Choosing the latter will likely mean you’re going to be tracked when you visit a site.

Firefox Do Not Track Firefox Firefox

Opera

When you go into Settings, look for ‘Privacy & Settings’ and you will see the option in the first section.

Opera Do Not Track Opera Opera

Safari

In Preferences/Settings, go into privacy and you will find website tracking at the bottom of the list. Tick it to activate it.

Safari Privacy Safari Safari

Internet Explorer

How you activate it will depend on the version of Internet Explorer you’re using. For the latest version, go into Settings > Privacy > Tracking Protection. You will need to download a tracking list from Internet Explorer Gallery to stop sites from tracking you.

Other versions require you to select Tools (the cog icon) before going into Safety and turning on Tracking Protection.

Read: These fake Apple employees try talking people into buying rival products instead >

Read: Android has added a handy way to keep your phone unlocked >

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11 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Hooded Biscuit
    Favourite The Hooded Biscuit
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:46 AM

    Why don’t they just re-release XP

    85
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    Mute Life in no motion
    Favourite Life in no motion
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:50 AM

    Get with the times

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ally Fanning
    Favourite Ally Fanning
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    Nov 15th 2014, 11:20 AM

    Am I the only person that actually likes Windows 8?!

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derry Buckley
    Favourite Derry Buckley
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    Nov 15th 2014, 11:26 AM

    Yes

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Sellers
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    Nov 15th 2014, 1:48 PM

    No

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Were Jammin
    Favourite Were Jammin
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:50 AM

    From the brief time I’ve messed around with the technical preview, Microsoft seem to be back on form. Its got the sorely missed elements removed after 7 back and has that snappy, lean feel of 8. Having a proper start menu back without having to bolt on third party software is reason enough to think about an upgrade. I’d even go as far as to say, if you’re thinking of buying a non-touchscreen laptop, consider holding out until Windows 10 is released.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Glen
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:35 AM

    I really like the idea of different desktop screens. You can set up each one for whatever scenario you need it for.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tk0CXKzL
    Favourite tk0CXKzL
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:40 AM

    you can thank Apple for that.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barry O'Brien
    Favourite Barry O'Brien
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:51 AM

    No Eric. Multiple desktops have been around for a lot longer than Apple have had them. Linux DE’s had them since the 90′s. It’s one GUI feature that I hate losing from Linux when I have to use Windows.

    78
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    Mute Were Jammin
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:53 AM

    Eric, multiple desktops have been around a lot longer than when Apple implemented them. Apple were the first to roll them out to a significant user base with Leopard.

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Kavanagh
    Favourite Graham Kavanagh
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    Nov 15th 2014, 3:24 PM

    I have been very happy with 8. I think many just used it once and cried, without making a proper attempt to get i to it. Everything feels strange for the first time.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronan Fahy
    Favourite Ronan Fahy
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    Nov 15th 2014, 12:05 PM

    Bit misleading, they didn’t stop selling windows 8 because it was unpopular, they stopped because windows 8.1 is the current version of the “8″ family and was a Free upgrade.

    26
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    Mute Armonline
    Favourite Armonline
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:38 AM

    Looks good, Microsoft have taken some of the best features of Mac OS such as multiple desktops and trackpad gestures

    22
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    Mute Mike Reid
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    Nov 15th 2014, 3:25 PM

    The same way Apple took multiple desktops from Linux?

    17
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    Mute Thats So Grodie
    Favourite Thats So Grodie
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    Nov 15th 2014, 12:28 PM

    I have always used windows as my primary OS. Have been running win8 since it was
    released. I downloaded win 10 to check it out. They had to change it, corporate enterprise environments would in no way rollout 8 to their clients. The interface & design of 8 is a bit ridiculous and would generate a crazy amount of calls for IT. And most use non touch screen laptops and desktops. Windows could have made it so much better, but with most things if you don’t ask the people who use it on a daily basis you won’t learn and improve. I must say the new windows servers OS are an improvement..

    13
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    Mute Redmond O'Hanlon
    Favourite Redmond O'Hanlon
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    Nov 15th 2014, 2:12 PM

    Use 8.1 everyday, no issues at all

    12
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    Mute TheLoneHurler
    Favourite TheLoneHurler
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    Nov 15th 2014, 12:02 PM

    Windows 8 and Classic Shell… drive on.

    12
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
    Favourite Alan Lawlor
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    Nov 15th 2014, 1:45 PM

    Lipstick on a pig

    9
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    Mute Keith Harding
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:56 AM

    Can we not have Android OS for Desktop and kill off microsoft windows already?

    8
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    Mute Barry O'Brien
    Favourite Barry O'Brien
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    Nov 15th 2014, 10:59 AM

    There’s an x86 version that you can install on a desktop. I haven’t played around with it since 1.6 (so a long time ago) but it actually worked quite well on the eeePC.

    9
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    Mute Colm Casey
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    Nov 15th 2014, 12:47 PM

    You can disable the Windows button on the Surface Pro 3 if it gets in the way of the charms etc..

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Edward Cullen
    Favourite Edward Cullen
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    Nov 15th 2014, 1:28 PM

    I have been using windows 8 since it first came out on a laptop that had windows 7 originally installed on it. I find windows 8 easy to use, but I do miss the start button.

    4
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    Mute Daniel O'Sullivan
    Favourite Daniel O'Sullivan
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    Nov 16th 2014, 4:34 PM

    Try ‘Classic Shell’.

    Just started using it recently. It makes things a hell of a lot better.

    1
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