Privacy Badger: EFF's Tracker Blocker That Learns As You Browse
Privacy Badger · for Windows, macOS and Linux
Developer: Electronic Frontier Foundation (opens in a new tab)
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
The download link points to the program’s official source; the file is not hosted on this site. Link address: chromewebstore.google.com
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Privacy Badger is a free, open-source Chrome extension from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). It sends Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals and learns to block trackers that ignore them.
Privacy Badger comes from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit digital rights group. It is not an ad blocker in the usual sense. Instead of relying on a hand-written list of ad servers, it focuses on tracking: if a third party seems to follow you across sites, Privacy Badger blocks it.
How it protects you
- Privacy signals: it sends Global Privacy Control, which opts you out of data sharing and selling, and Do Not Track, which asks companies not to track you.
- Learning to block: trackers that ignore those signals are blocked.
- Click-to-activate widgets: useful third-party elements such as embedded video players or comment widgets that also track can be replaced with placeholders you click to load.
- Link tracking: outgoing link click tracking on Facebook and Google is removed.
Getting started
- The Download button leads to Privacy Badger’s official Chrome Web Store page.
- Click Add to Chrome. No account or configuration is needed.
- Click the badger icon on any site to see what was blocked. Sliders let you allow, block cookies only, or block a domain completely.
Should you use it with an ad blocker?
Privacy Badger aims to stop tracking, so ads that do not track you may still appear. Many people combine it with a content blocker such as uBlock Origin Lite. If a page breaks, open the popup and allow the domain that is needed.
The EFF states on the store listing that it does not collect or use your data, and the source code is public on GitHub.
Pros
- Made by a non-profit with no ad business
- Sends Global Privacy Control automatically
- Works without any setup
Cons
- Does not block non-tracking ads
- Occasionally a widget needs to be allowed manually
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Privacy Badger block all ads?
No. It targets tracking rather than advertising itself, so non-tracking ads can still show. Pair it with an ad blocker if you want both.
Who makes Privacy Badger?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit digital rights organization based in San Francisco.
Privacy BadgerOpen source
Download (opens in a new tab)
