What Do Not Track does and does not do
Do Not Track is a setting in your web browser that sends a signal to websites asking them not to track your online behavior. When you turn it on, your browser adds a small instruction to every webpage you visit that says "please do not track me." The problem is that most websites ignore this request entirely — there is no law requiring them to honor it, and many do anyway.
Do Not Track is not the same as blocking cookies, clearing your history, or using private browsing mode. Those tools actually prevent tracking from happening. Do Not Track just asks websites nicely to stop. It is a preference you express, not a barrier websites cannot cross. If a website wants to track you, Do Not Track will not stop it.
The signal works because your browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — includes it automatically when you enable the setting. You do not have to do anything on each website. But since websites can choose whether to listen, the protection depends entirely on whether the site decides to respect your request.
Key Takeaways
- Do Not Track is a browser setting that sends a request to websites, but websites are not required to honor it and most do not.
- Turning on Do Not Track does not block cookies, ads, or data collection — it only expresses a preference that sites can ignore.
- Some websites and ad networks do respect Do Not Track, but you have no way to know which ones without testing.
- If you want actual protection from tracking, blocking cookies, using private browsing, or installing a privacy extension will work better than Do Not Track alone.
Where to find and turn on Do Not Track
The location of the Do Not Track setting varies by browser. In Chrome, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then scroll down to "Do Not Track" and toggle it on. In Firefox, open Preferences, select Privacy & Security, scroll to the Tracking Protection section, and choose "Always" under "Enhanced Tracking Protection." In Safari on Mac, go to Safari menu, then Preferences, then Privacy, and check the box for "Ask websites not to track me." On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, scroll to Safari, and toggle on "Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement."
In Edge, go to Settings, then Privacy, Search, and Services, and under Tracking Prevention, choose "Balanced" or "Strict." The "Balanced" setting blocks trackers from sites you have not visited; "Strict" blocks more trackers everywhere. Both send the Do Not Track signal.
Turning on Do Not Track takes less than a minute, but understand that you are only sending a request. The browser will include the signal with every page you load, but the website decides what to do with it. Many large sites, including Google, Facebook, and Amazon, have publicly stated they do not honor Do Not Track requests.
Which websites actually respect Do Not Track
Very few major websites honor Do Not Track. When researchers have tested the setting, they find that most sites continue to track users regardless of the signal. Some smaller websites and privacy-focused services do respect it, but there is no public list you can check beforehand. You would have to contact a website directly to ask whether they honor Do Not Track, and most companies do not publicize this information.
The lack of enforcement is the core problem. Do Not Track was proposed as a standard in the early 2010s, but it never became law. The Federal Trade Commission declined to require websites to honor it, so compliance is voluntary. Without legal teeth, most companies decided the business value of tracking outweighed the small number of users who would enable the setting.
Some ad networks and data brokers have adopted Do Not Track policies, particularly in Europe where privacy laws are stricter. But in the United States, you cannot assume any website respects the signal just because you have it turned on.
How Do Not Track compares to other privacy tools
Do Not Track is weaker than most other privacy protections because it relies on voluntary compliance. Blocking cookies actually prevents websites from storing tracking files on your device — this works whether the site wants to or not. Most browsers let you block third-party cookies (ads and trackers) while allowing first-party cookies (needed for login and shopping carts). This is more effective than Do Not Track because it does not depend on the website cooperating.
Private browsing mode (Incognito in Chrome, Private Window in Firefox) deletes your browsing history, cookies, and temporary files when you close the window. Websites can still track you while you are browsing, but they cannot follow you across sessions. This is useful for one-off visits but does not stop tracking in real time.
Privacy extensions like uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, or DuckDuckGo's extension actively block known trackers and ads. These work by maintaining a list of tracking domains and preventing your browser from loading them. They are more effective than Do Not Track because they block trackers by default rather than asking sites to stop.
If privacy is your goal, combining cookie blocking with a privacy extension will protect you far more than Do Not Track alone. Do Not Track is harmless to enable, but do not rely on it as your only defense.
Why websites ignore Do Not Track
Websites ignore Do Not Track because tracking is how they make money. Advertisers pay for data about who visits a site, what they click, how long they stay, and what they buy. That data is valuable — sometimes worth more than the ads themselves. A website that honored Do Not Track would lose that revenue stream.
There is also no penalty for ignoring the signal. Without a law requiring compliance, a website that ignores Do Not Track faces no fine, no lawsuit, and no consequence. The only cost is the small chance that a privacy-conscious user will leave and use a competitor instead — but most users do not know Do Not Track exists or do not understand what it does.
Some companies have argued that Do Not Track is too vague to follow. The standard does not define what "tracking" means or what websites should do instead, so companies claim they cannot comply without clearer rules. This is partly true, but it is also a convenient excuse for companies that do not want to change their business model.
Do Not Track and European privacy laws
In Europe, privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive require websites to get permission before tracking most users. These laws do not specifically mention Do Not Track, but they do require websites to honor user preferences about data collection. This means European websites are more likely to respect Do Not Track because they are already required to respect privacy choices by law.
If you are in the United States, Do Not Track has no legal backing. If you are in Europe, your browser's Do Not Track setting may have more effect, though it is still not may provide. Some European sites treat Do Not Track as evidence of a user's preference and honor it, while others rely on explicit consent banners instead.
What to do if you want real privacy protection
If you want to reduce tracking, start by blocking third-party cookies in your browser settings. This stops most ad trackers without breaking website functionality. Then install a privacy extension like Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin, which blocks known tracking domains. Use private browsing mode for sensitive searches or one-time visits to unfamiliar sites.
You can turn on Do Not Track as well — it costs nothing and might help with the small number of sites that respect it. But do not treat it as your main defense. The combination of cookie blocking, a privacy extension, and private browsing will protect you far more effectively than Do Not Track alone.
If you want to go further, consider using a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo instead of Google, or a VPN service that encrypts your internet traffic. These tools actually prevent tracking rather than just asking websites to stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Do Not Track stop ads from appearing?
No. Do Not Track only asks websites not to track your behavior — it does not block ads themselves. You will still see advertisements; they just might be less targeted to your interests. To actually block ads, you need an ad blocker extension like uBlock Origin or Adblock Plus.
Can websites tell if I have Do Not Track turned on?
Yes, websites can see the Do Not Track signal in your browser request. However, most websites ignore it. Some may use it to identify privacy-conscious users, though this is rare. Turning on Do Not Track does not hide your identity or make you anonymous.
Is Do Not Track the same as private browsing?
No. Private browsing deletes your history and cookies when you close the window, but websites can still track you while you are browsing. Do Not Track sends a request to websites asking them not to track you, but they can ignore it. They are different tools that work in different ways.
Should I turn on Do Not Track if most websites ignore it?
Turning it on does not hurt, and some websites do respect it. But do not rely on it as your main privacy protection. Combine it with cookie blocking and a privacy extension for better results. Do Not Track is one small piece of a larger privacy strategy, not a complete solution.
Will Do Not Track protect me from government surveillance?
No. Do Not Track only affects commercial tracking by websites and advertisers. It does not protect you from government agencies, internet service providers, or law enforcement. For protection against those, you would need tools like a VPN or Tor Browser, which are separate from Do Not Track.