Disconnect
Open-source anti-tracking browser extension from ex-Google and ex-NSA engineers. Blocks 2,000+ third-party trackers. Powers tracker protection in Firefox, Edge, and Samsung Internet.
What should journalists know about Disconnect?
Disconnect is the quiet backbone of browser privacy. Its tracker protection list powers Firefox's Enhanced Tracking Protection, Microsoft Edge's tracking prevention, and Samsung Internet's Smart Anti-Tracking. The standalone extension blocks advertising, analytics, social, and fingerprinting trackers across 2,000+ domains, and independent tests show pages load up to 44% faster with 39% less bandwidth as a result. The founders have unusual credibility: co-founder Brian Kennish was an engineer at Google and DoubleClick (the ad-tracking infrastructure itself), and CTO Patrick Jackson is former NSA — he built surveillance systems before switching to building defenses against them. The extension is open source under GPL v3, so the blocking logic is auditable. Compared to Privacy Badger (EFF's heuristic-based blocker), Disconnect uses a curated list approach — it blocks known trackers by domain rather than learning from behavior. This means it works immediately on install with no training period, but it will not catch novel trackers that are not yet on the list. Compared to uBlock Origin (the most powerful content blocker available), Disconnect is narrower in scope: it blocks trackers but not ads that do not track, and it has no cosmetic filtering or custom filter lists. The tradeoff is simplicity — Disconnect requires zero configuration and rarely breaks pages. Named best privacy tool by The New York Times and Innovation Award winner at SXSW. The main concern: the extension was last updated in early 2025, and the company's focus has shifted toward its enterprise privacy products and VPN service. The core tracker list still receives updates, but the extension itself shows its age compared to newer tools.
Lightweight tracker blocking with zero configuration. Reducing your tracking footprint across advertising, analytics, and social media networks. Pairing with other security tools (use Disconnect for tracking protection, a separate ad blocker for cosmetic filtering). Understanding which trackers are present on any page you visit (the extension shows a real-time breakdown by category).
Comprehensive ad blocking (uBlock Origin is better for that). Blocking novel or unknown trackers through behavioral analysis (Privacy Badger's approach). Replacing a VPN or Tor for network-level privacy. Journalists facing state-level adversaries who need stronger protections than browser-level tracker blocking.
Security & Privacy
Data is scrambled while being sent to their servers
Data is scrambled when stored on their servers
Where servers are located — affects which governments can request your data
Privacy policy summary
The browser extension processes everything locally. No browsing data, blocked tracker logs, or page content leaves your device. Disconnect states it will never sell user data. The extension collects no personal information. The company's revenue comes from licensing its tracker protection technology to browser vendors (Mozilla, Microsoft, Samsung) and from its premium VPN product — not from user data.
How to protect yourself:
Pair Disconnect with uBlock Origin for comprehensive protection — Disconnect handles tracker blocking, uBlock Origin handles ads, cosmetic filtering, and custom filter lists. Check the extension's popup on sensitive pages to see which trackers are attempting to load. If a page breaks, you can whitelist individual sites (click the Disconnect icon and toggle). For high-risk reporting, Disconnect alone is insufficient — use Tor Browser or a hardened Firefox profile with multiple layered protections. Keep the extension updated; tracker lists evolve as companies change domains.
Open source (GPL v3), runs entirely locally in the browser, collects no user data. The tracker protection technology is trusted enough that Mozilla, Microsoft, and Samsung license it for their browsers — that is a meaningful signal. Rating is 'adequate' rather than 'strong' because the extension's development has slowed, the curated list approach has inherent lag against new trackers, and the company's focus has shifted toward enterprise products. The tool does what it claims, but journalists needing maximum protection should pair it with uBlock Origin and other layered defenses.
Who Owns This
Known issues
Extension last updated January 2025 — development pace has slowed as the company focuses on enterprise licensing and its VPN product. The curated tracker list approach means Disconnect may miss brand-new tracking domains until they are added to the list (lag time unknown). Some users report the extension feels dated compared to Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin in terms of UI and feature set. The Disconnect VPN service (separate from the free extension) has received mixed reviews, with some reviewers noting slow speeds and limited server locations. The extension was briefly removed from the Chrome Web Store in 2014 over a dispute with Google (it was restored), highlighting the tension between a tracker-blocking tool and a company that runs the largest ad-tracking network.
Pricing
Free (browser extension). Premium VPN service available separately.
This is an editorial assessment based on publicly available information as of 2026-04-11, using our published methodology. Independent security review is pending. Security posture can change at any time. This is not a guarantee of safety.
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