Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2019 May 21

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May 21

New Mobile cookies

I was wondering if I got a new mobile phone but kept the same number would I have the same cookies tracking me? I am getting a new mobile regardless of the answer. (78.17.116.81 (talk) 20:21, 21 May 2019 (UTC))

A cookie is a specific type of tracking technology, related to the HTTP protocol, that would not propagate to the new device. In this context, "cookies" are specific to one instance of the web browser on the original phone, and do not transfer to new browsers on new devices.

Various other methods exist for web tracking, including but not limited to associating you (as a person) to a specific individual device; or to a specific telephone number; or guessing or inferring that you are the same individual human based on ancillary activities that you perform. In addition, there are many "cookie-like" software features that might migrate to the new device depending on how you set it up or transfer accounts or other data. Furthermore, one or more new HTTP cookies might be created on the device that can somehow be associated to the old cookies on the old device.

It is quite difficult to prevent tracking, because so many different methods of tracking exist, including various passive tracking methods that can occur even if you and every invisible piece of your device technology actively try not to cooperate with the trackers.

Our main article is Web tracking, and you may also be interested in reading the website of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's privacy advocacy organization.

Nimur (talk) 23:02, 21 May 2019 (UTC)