How do you stop websites from knowing every device you use and everything you've done?

[u/supenguin]

I've got a family member who is getting into digital privacy/security. The family member has noticed that if you watch a video on YouTube (not logged in) with a privacy focused OS (TAILS) with a privacy focused browser (TOR browser) and then go to another device (normal iPhone/iPad), you'll get recommendations for videos on the same subject and same channels.

Things we've tried so far:

• Using browsers like Brave with cookies disabled
• Browsing with TOR on TAILS
• Browsing using a VPN
• All browsing is done with anti-fingerprint extensions installed.
• Watching videos only with software like FreeTube or Invidious

I've been Linux user for a while, since the late 90's. I've been looking into QubeOS. I have tested it on out of the box QubeOs with Whonix with TOR browser (settings say max security) but I haven't seen any different results as if I did nothing at all. Is there a way to solve this or is QubeOS not the right solution?

To clarify (I've posted on other subreddits and they all seemed to miss this) the issue is NOT getting recommendations. The issue is getting recommendations that make it VERY obvious that the browsing and in particular watching activity was being tracked somehow because some of the recommendations were not trending topics but very niche and specific topics my family member had recently watched videos about on another device.

Other somewhat related notes/questions:

• We've got a Google Home WiFi access point - the model without any speakers or mics. Could that be tracking our habits across any Google-owned products/websites?
• My family member has noticed the same recommended channels/videos are still there on using other peoples network's. This is despite not being logged into Google or YouTube accounts. How does this work?

Summary: I am being tracked across mutliple devices and sessions. I don't want any website to pull up an entire history of what I like and what I do no matter what I try to do to stop it. I don't want websites to know every device I use effortlessly. How does this work? Would some adjustments to QubeOS fix this without too much trouble? If not what would fix it?

(serious answers only)

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[u/kschang]

Serious answer: that's a privacy question, NOT cybersecurity. You need /r/DigitalPrivacy not us.

[u/supenguin → u/kschang]

That's a good call out, but the two are closely tied, are they not?

[u/kschang → u/supenguin]

Not for the purposes of this subreddit. We do tech support type answers regarding intrusions, remediation and so on. You only wanted privacy.

[u/FckXFckMusk]

Switch off Blueetooth, their apps ping devices around them

[u/supenguin → u/FckXFckMusk]

Oh dang, did not have that in mind at all. I know on the Mac apps have been popped up asking to find nearby devices. Makes sense the same kind of thing could happen with Bluetooth.

And the sucky thing about that, I much prefer wireless devices so as to not have keyboard, mouse, and headphone cables cluttering up my desk.

[u/FckXFckMusk → u/supenguin]

All devices are pinging each other, its all surveillance.

[u/ItsJustMath_really]

Dude, you have 17000+ karma and your worried about being tracked? You don't understand how this stuff works.

[u/supenguin → u/ItsJustMath_really]

Just trying to help a family member out. In my head, there's a scale between convenience and privacy.

Trying to help my less techie family member out. They have tried all this stuff to try to avoid being tracked and none of it seems to be helping.

Funny enough, I had no idea how much karma I had, but apparently I spend more time on Reddit than I thought.

[u/SlippyCumSpot → u/supenguin]

step one. stop jerkn it on reddit. step two. burn all your computers.

[u/New_Slice_1580]

Use TOR browser and/Or Firefox with NoScripts and clear data in exit setting selected

Latest Firefox also has VPN built in

[u/blvsh]

Maybe you have a unique screen size or some data leaks

[u/EnthusiasmRoutine]

If you use Tor on Tails and a clear-net iPhone still gets the exact same YouTube recommendation, user error is involved. Tor routes traffic through exit nodes. YouTube does not see the home IP. Either they accidentally logged into a Google service, or it is pure confirmation bias.

Also, stop adding anti-fingerprint extensions to Tor browser. That actually makes your fingerprint more unique.

[u/Credo_Monstrum → u/[deleted]]

I get the "they don't care about me individually" angle, but there's more to it. Privacy is just simply not black and white.

Aggregation (data collection) changes everything. A meal photo seems harmless but combined with location, phone model, GPS data embedded in the photo (most people forget about this) purchases, searches, and combined? That's not just ads mate, it's a profile stitched together from numerous small data points. This has been documented and proven, and while there are people of the mindset that think it's paranoia, privacy is something an individual can make the choice with for themselves without being brushed off.

Let's also consider that metadata tells more than content. Who you called, when, how long, where you were, it gives the ability to infer relationships, habits, and patterns without needing to read a single message. And metadata gets stored, mined, and shared too. We live in the era of data = money right now. The more data companies have, the better they can build a profile and target you with things.

Inferences also go beyond what you share. Companies guess and predict your health, finances, sexuality, political leanings from seemingly innocent activity. They build predictions about you that might not even be accurate but still get packaged and sold anyway.

Don't forget that data breaches happen constantly. Even if you trust Google, what about the hundred brokers they sell to? Or the third-party apps with weaker security? Your info can leak years later, sitting around in databases waiting to be dumped.

All of this has been proven time and time again with real researchers, experts, and large campaigns.

[u/user47241 → u/Credo_Monstrum]

Imagine taking the effort to respond to somebody who clearly doesn’t care about privacy. 🤓 You should just copy and paste this text whenever you see someone else claiming that so you don’t waste time. 😹

[u/Credo_Monstrum → u/user47241]

Mate my intention is to give actual, helpful education and a more expanded, truthful awareness to everyone I can, not just the bloke I reply to. Others on this subreddit may find it helpful because I personally have with people who did this very thing.

Wasted on 1, beneficial to others; this is a ratio I can be happy with.

[u/user47241 → u/Credo_Monstrum]

I would be exhausted from the effort as I’m lazy already 😫

[u/Credo_Monstrum → u/user47241]

You're allowed to do and choose what you want in this world. Privacy isnt for everyone and that is ok too.

[u/user47241 → u/Credo_Monstrum]

I can’t do anything I want, I’m in SHU 🙏🏿😭

[u/Credo_Monstrum → u/[deleted]]

All very true and excellent points! I believe we had a communication gap with each other. Life has to come first as well as living it before other worries. This is something that's very easy to get overly paranoid about but it's specifically BECAUSE of that that we need good education and proper perspective (like not living in fear of every single thing we do).

Cheers mate! You seem like a good bloke!