When web browsers connect to websites, they send a user agent, which identifies the browser and the - rendering capabilities it possesses. They website can use this information to decide which version of the - website to send to the browser. For example, many websites have different versions for desktop and - mobile browsers.
- -By default, Privacy Browser uses the built-in user agent that comes with the WebView installed on the - device. You can see what it is by going to the Settings screen and setting the User - agent to WebView Default. The screenshot below shows a Nexus 6P running Android 6.0.1 - with Android System WebView 51.0.2704.81 installed.
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-There is enough information in the user agent that sometimes only a few visitors to a website will be the same. If the user agent - is combined with another piece of non-unique identifying information, often it results in a unique fingerprint. - The Electronic Frontier Foundation created a tool called Panopticlick - to demonstrate how much information can be gleaned from these sources. If this test is run with JavaScript enabled the - amount of information that is disclosed increases greatly. Browser Leaks and - Am I Unique are also good sources of information.
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-Privacy Browser allows you to change the user agent. There are several preset options that match common browsers and operating systems. - Privacy Browser defaults to its own user agent, which is simply PrivacyBrowser/1.0. For tracking purposes, anything that is rare is easier - to track. If Privacy Browser becomes common and many people use PrivacyBrowser/1.0 as their user agent, it will be a good choice for privacy. - Firefox or Chrome are the most common user agents, but they auto-update and their version numbers change so quickly - that it is likely the user agents included in Privacy Browser will often be out of step with the majority of user agents in the - server logs.
- -A second reason to change the user agent is to convince the web server to send the desktop version of the web page, which often works - better on modern smart phones than the mobile version. For this purpose, PrivacyBrowser/1.0 works well, because web servers typically - default to the desktop version unless they recognize a phone browser agent.
- -Android's WebView does not allow the user agent to be blank. If it is, WebView simply sends the default user-agent to the server.
- + + + + + + + + + + +When web browsers connect to websites, they send a user agent, which identifies the browser and the rendering capabilities it possesses. + The web server can use this information to decide which version of the website to send to the browser. + For example, many websites have different versions for desktop and mobile browsers.
+ +By default, Privacy Browser uses its own user agent, which is PrivacyBrowser/1.0. This sends a minimum of information to the web server.
+ Because web servers do not recognize this to be a mobile user agent, they typically display the desktop version of the site.
By comparison, WebViewâs default user agent divulges a large amount of information about the hardware and software of the device. + On the Settings screen, selecting WebView Default as the User agent displays the user agent that will be sent. + The screenshot below shows a Pixel 2 XL running Android 10 with Android System WebView 84.0.4147.125 installed. + Most web servers will recognize this as a mobile browser and will display the mobile version of the site if they have one.
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+ There is enough information in the user agent that sometimes only a few visitors to a website will be the same. + If the user agent is combined with another piece of non-unique identifying information, often it results in a unique fingerprint. + The Electronic Frontier Foundation created a tool called Panopticlick to demonstrate how much information can be gleaned from these sources. + If this test is run with JavaScript enabled the amount of information that is disclosed increases greatly. + Browser Leaks and Am I Unique are also good sources of information on this topic.
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+ There are several preset user agents that match common browsers and operating systems. For browser fingerprinting purposes, anything that is rare is easier to track.
+ If Privacy Browser becomes common and many people use PrivacyBrowser/1.0 as their user agent, it will be a good choice for privacy.
+ Firefox or Chrome are the most common user agents, but they auto-update and their version numbers change so quickly that it is likely the user agents included in Privacy Browser
+ will often be out of step with the majority of user agents in the server logs.
Some websites do not function correctly if they do not recognize the user agent. + Using domain settings to set the user agent to WebView Default, or another user agent that is commonly recognized, usually resolves the problem. + Androidâs WebView does not allow the user agent to be blank. If it is, WebView simply sends the default user agent to the server.
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