Device Fingerprinting
Identifying or recognizing a device or browser from a distinguishing combination of its settings and characteristics, without relying on a cookie or stored ID.
Full definition
Device fingerprinting combines attributes a browser or device reveals, such as screen characteristics, time zone, operating-system details, language, and graphics features, to estimate whether requests may come from the same device. The resulting signal can be distinctive, but its stability and accuracy vary with the attributes, browser protections, and changes over time. It may continue across cookie deletion or private browsing in some circumstances, so anti-fingerprinting settings and permission controls can reduce—but do not guarantee elimination of—the signal.
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Reduce online tracking →Related terms
Mobile Advertising ID (MAID)
A resettable identifier associated with a mobile device or device profile, such as Apple IDFA or Google Advertising ID, that can help link app activity or ad interactions.
Identity Resolution
The process of stitching together disparate records and identifiers to determine they all refer to the same person.
Surveillance Advertising
Advertising that relies on tracking and profiling people across sites, apps, or other contexts to target ads using observed or inferred traits.
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