Anonymity checkers
coveryourtracks.eff.org
What terms govern the browser test, and what does it actually check? Cover Your Tracks describes itself as a browser privacy testing tool and research project. Its test simulates trackers and evaluates protection by whether they load. The provider says partial protection does not prevent tracking by IP addresses and other means.
For readers weighing a browser visibility check, the key distinction is between a test result and protection from tracking in general.
Editorial review based on public sources, without hands-on testing; facts checked on 2026-10-31.
This page contains no partner link to this service.
- Logo
All logos are trademarks of their holders, displayed solely to show which service is meant.- Name
- coveryourtracks.eff.org
- Category
- Anonymity checkers
- Official site
- coveryourtracks.eff.org · No link provided
- Facts checked
What the browser report covers
The provider’s about page and homepage describe the report and browser checks, checked 2026-10-31.
- Test: checks browser protection from tracking and fingerprinting (homepage, checked 2026-10-31).
- Browser visibility: shows how trackers see the browser and its identifying characteristics (homepage, checked 2026-10-31).
- Report: covers tracker protections and browser fingerprinting (about page, checked 2026-10-31).
What use costs and includes
The provider says the service generates a report about tracker protections and browser fingerprinting for the user. In general, buyers comparing tools should separate the value of a diagnostic from any paid service or ongoing protection.
What the simulated trackers test
The provider's About page says the test evaluates a protection method by checking whether simulated trackers load.
The provider says tracker blockers cross-reference lists of tracking scripts and block matching items from loading. That explains what the blocker check is designed to observe; it does not establish that every tracking method is covered.
Which questions belong with support
Ask how to interpret a result when browser settings or protection tools differ. The useful answer should explain which conditions affect the observed test, rather than treating every result as directly comparable.
Clarify how the provider uses the terms “anonymous data” and “browser uniqueness” in practice. Ask which documentation governs use and how any stated conditions apply to the test you plan to run.
How anonymous results feed uniqueness
The provider says it anonymously logs browser and device information to measure browser uniqueness. It lists the user agent string, HTTP ACCEPT headers, screen resolution, and color depth among the information logged.
The site states that it collects only anonymous data. It also says anonymous test results are used to generate uniqueness results for other users. Those statements describe the provider’s stated data-use model; they are not independent verification of the collection or anonymization process.
Which stated terms aid evaluation
The provider’s pages describe several concrete outputs and conditions readers can use to understand the test.
- The simulated-tracker test evaluates protection by whether the trackers load.
- The report covers tracker protections and browser fingerprinting.
- The browser view shows how trackers see it and summarizes identifying characteristics.
- The provider says anonymous test results contribute to uniqueness results for other users.
Where the protection test stops
The provider’s own guidance sets boundaries on what the test’s results mean.
- Partial protection means simulated trackers load while their cookies are blocked; the provider says this does not prevent tracking through IP addresses or other means.
- The provider says browser fingerprinting is difficult to detect and extremely difficult to thwart. It also says some domains that try to fingerprint users are blocked by Privacy Badger or Disconnect, but not all.
- Blocking trackers does not rule out advanced tracking techniques that may still gather information, according to the provider.
- The provider says disabling JavaScript can reduce fingerprint information, but may break websites and limit functionality.
- Incognito Mode was not intended to prevent remote sites or trackers from identifying users, according to the provider. The provider separately says Chrome’s Incognito Mode does not protect against trackers or fingerprinters.
Several details are missing; they are listed under What we could not confirm.
Which browser criteria to compare
When comparing browser privacy tools, look at what each test observes, how it explains results, and what data-use terms apply. In general, separate a diagnostic’s stated scope from the protection offered by the browser or other tools used alongside it. Compare the documentation on tracking and fingerprinting in particular, since a check focused on one mechanism may not describe another.
Who needs a browser visibility check
The service shows how trackers see a user's browser and provides an overview of its identifying characteristics. The provider describes the service as a way to test protection from tracking and fingerprinting.
What we could not confirm
- Pricing: whether use is free or paid
- Plans: available tiers and included features
- Trial: availability and conditions
- Refunds: policy and eligibility
- Support: contact channels and response times
- Integrations: supported services and connections
- Setup: technical requirements and configuration steps
What the test terms answer
What does partial protection mean?
Partial protection means simulated trackers load while their cookies are blocked, according to the provider. The provider says that result does not prevent tracking through IP addresses or other means. The label therefore describes the test’s observed condition, not a statement that other tracking methods have been stopped.
Do blocked trackers rule out tracking?
No: the provider cautions that advanced tracking techniques may still gather information when trackers are blocked. It also says that blocking cookies while simulated trackers load does not prevent tracking by IP addresses and other means. Its guidance treats tracker blocking as limited protection rather than a complete account of tracking.
What browser and device information is logged?
It lists the user agent string, HTTP ACCEPT headers, screen resolution, and color depth among the logged information.
Is Incognito Mode intended to prevent identification?
No: the provider says Incognito Mode was not intended to prevent remote sites or trackers from identifying users. It also says Chrome’s Incognito Mode does not protect against trackers or fingerprinters. The distinction is about identification by remote sites and trackers, not the test’s reporting of browser characteristics.
What does the provider say about fingerprinting?
The provider describes browser fingerprinting as difficult to detect and extremely difficult to thwart. It says Privacy Badger or Disconnect block some, but not all, domains that try to fingerprint users. These statements describe limits in the provider’s guidance, rather than a promise that any particular browser or blocker prevents identification.
Are the documented terms enough to proceed?
Fits if… the purpose is to inspect browser visibility and understand a simulated tracker test.
Probably not if… the requirement is a tool that establishes that tracking or identification cannot occur; the provider describes several limits to those protections.
Main risk… reading a test result as broader protection than its stated checks support. The documented mechanism and data-use statements provide a basis for evaluating the checker, but the limits remain central to interpretation.
Sources
Below are the public pages behind the facts above, together with the date each one was read.
- coveryourtracks.eff.org/aboutchecked
- coveryourtracks.eff.orgchecked
- coveryourtracks.eff.org/learnchecked
Notes on the making of this review
Editorial team of Profile Workshop. Profile Workshop compiled this page from the public sources above as they stood on 2026-10-31. We did not test the service ourselves. We revise the text whenever those sources are updated.
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