Privacy Badger
EFF-built browser extension that blocks invisible trackers and sends Global Privacy Control signals on every page you visit.
What should journalists know about Privacy Badger?
Privacy Badger is a solid companion blocker, not a standalone solution. It scores 63/100 on AdBlock Tester versus uBlock Origin's perfect 100 — because it only blocks ads that contain trackers, not ads themselves. The real value is threefold: it sends Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals that carry legal weight under CCPA, it replaces social embeds (YouTube, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Spotify) with click-to-activate placeholders, and it opts you out of Google's Privacy Sandbox. The 2020 learning-mode removal was the right call — local learning was a fingerprinting vector discovered by Google's security team. Now it ships pre-trained tracker lists updated via Badger Swarm (distributed cloud scans). Actively maintained: 10 releases in 2025 alone. Manifest V3 transition is complete in Chrome, though some features (like stripping Google tracking redirects) remain broken under MV3 constraints. Run it alongside uBlock Origin on Firefox for best results.
Layered tracker blocking alongside uBlock Origin. GPC legal opt-out signals. Widget replacement for social embeds. Opting out of Google Privacy Sandbox.
Primary ad blocking (use uBlock Origin). YouTube ad blocking. Users who need a single comprehensive blocker.
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
No data sent to EFF or anyone else. No telemetry, no analytics, no account required. Sends GPC and DNT signals to sites you visit (opt-out available in settings). Canvas fingerprinting detection runs locally.
How to protect yourself:
Install alongside uBlock Origin for layered protection — overlap is moderate but Privacy Badger catches behavioral trackers that filter lists miss. Use Firefox over Chrome: Firefox still supports Manifest V2, giving Privacy Badger (and uBlock Origin) full blocking capabilities. Review the tracker slider controls if a site breaks. Disable learning mode if you re-enabled it — local learning creates a fingerprinting surface.
Open source (GPLv3), backed by EFF, 3.5k GitHub stars, actively maintained with 10+ releases in 2025. No data collection. GPC signals carry legal weight under CCPA. The 2020 fingerprinting vulnerability in learning mode was responsibly handled — disabled by default, pre-trained lists shipped instead. Manifest V3 transition complete but with reduced capabilities in Chrome. Strong choice as a secondary blocker; not comprehensive enough alone.
Who Owns This
Known issues
Local learning mode (disabled by default since 2020) was a fingerprinting vector — Google Security Team showed attackers could manipulate which domains Privacy Badger blocked to create unique user fingerprints and perform limited history sniffing. Manifest V3 on Chrome limits Privacy Badger's ability to strip Google tracking redirects on Google properties — this remains unresolved as of 2026.2.20. Cookie blocking (yellow slider) broke in Chrome/Edge/Opera in mid-2025 and required a hotfix (2025.9.5). Canvas fingerprinting detection works but broader fingerprinting protections remain incomplete. AdBlock Tester score of 63/100 means many ads pass through — by design, but users expecting ad blocking will be disappointed.
Pricing
Free. Open source (GPLv3). No donations required to use.
This is an editorial assessment based on publicly available information as of 2026-04-02, 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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