Last updated on 20 March 2026
We all use a navigator from morning to evening, both at work and in class. But between advertising tracking, cookies, overly generous permissions and sometimes dubious extensions, it only takes a few poorly chosen settings to let personal data flow. Good news: without being a specialist, you can already significantly strengthen the protection of your data on Chrome, Safari and Firefox. Follow the guide.
Table of Contents
Navigate without being tracked too much: the essential settings on Chrome, Safari and Firefox
Keep in mind: no browser makes you truly "anonymous"
Let's start with a useful focus, especially when we talk about "private browsing": a browser, even if well tuned, does not make you invisible. The ‘private’ or ‘incognito’ window is mainly used to prevent local storage of history, certain form data and (partly) cookies on the device.
On the other hand, it does not prevent:
- a website to recognise you otherwise (browser footprint, logged-in account, etc.);
- an access provider or network (school, business) to see part of the activity;
- third-party services measure visits via scripts or tracers.
In other words: private navigation is convenient so as not to leave traces on a shared device, but it is not a shield. In class, the private mode does not prevent the network administrator from seeing part of the activity.
Settings that make a real difference (in almost all browsers)
Before going into the specificities of Chrome, Safari or Firefox, here are the ‘winning’ settings that can be found almost everywhere, with a concrete impact.
Block third-party cookies (or limit cross-site tracking)
Third-party cookies are one of the pillars of advertising tracking. Block them reduces tracking from one site to another, without breaking the majority of uses. This setting often appears under the heading ‘tracking protection’, ‘third-party cookies’ or ‘anti-tracking’.
Conversely, some cookies are necessary for the functioning of the sites (login, shopping cart, preferences) and are not used for advertising tracking.
Activate protection against phishing and hazardous sites
This is a simple but very effective reflex: most browsers offer an option to protect against malicious sites (phishing, dangerous downloads, fraudulent pages). In practice, this adds a verification layer based on lists of reported sites.
Review permissions: location, camera, microphone
Many sites ask authorisations "for comfort" whereas they are not indispensable. To be checked as a matter of priority:
- Location: Allow only on a case-by-case basis.
- Camera and microphone: to be banned by default, except visio tools clearly identified.
- Notifications: to be refused almost always (it is also a spam lever).
Another useful reflex, especially on shared workstations: regularly delete history and cookies, to prevent the next people to use the computer from finding your tracks or connections.
Chrome: powerful, convenient … and highly data-driven
Chrome is the most used browser, both on computer and mobile. Its ecosystem is highly integrated with Google services, whose business model relies heavily on advertising, which has an impact on how navigation data can be used.
Activate / check in Chrome
- Protection against dangerous sites (anti-phishing, anti-malware): to leave activated.
- Blocking third-party cookies: good basic setting to limit inter-site tracking.
- Site permissions: sort and reset what was granted too quickly (location, camera, microphone, notifications).
The titles and location may vary slightly depending on the version of Chrome, but there are usually options close to them.
🧭 Chrome, step by step to find the settings cited
- Third party cookies : ⋮ Menu (top right) → Settings → Confidentiality and security → Third party cookies (variable title depending on the version) → choose Block third-party cookies (or the most restrictive option available).
- Phishing protection / hazardous sites : ⋮ Menu → Settings → Confidentiality and security → Security → activate protection (often " Secure navigation ", variable title depending on the version) and choose the recommended level.
- Permissions (camera, microphone, location, notifications) : ⋮ Menu → Settings → Confidentiality and security → Site settings → open Camera, Micro, Location, Notifications and settle on Block or Ask before authorising.
- Clean up permissions already granted : Site settings → View permissions and stored data (or equivalent section) → delete what is no longer useful.
The point of vigilance: “incognito” is not “invisible”
This is the most common error. Chrome’s private browsing mainly prevents the device from keeping track. It does not automatically block the monitoring by the sites visited or the observation of the activity by the institution’s network.
Safari: Privacy as a "default" choice
Safari has been putting privacy at the heart of the product for several years, in particular via tracking limitation mechanisms. In recent versions, some of the protections are enabled by default, which requires less effort on the user side.
What is useful in Safari
- Built-in tracking protection, with features that limit third-party tracking.
- A privacy report (depending on version) that allows you to see which trackers have been blocked.
Again, the titles may slightly change depending on the version of macOS or iOS/iPadOS.
🧭 Safari – step by step to find the settings listed (Mac / iPhone-iPad)
- Mac : Safari → Settings (or Preferences) → tab Confidentiality.
- Activate Preventing follow-up on several areas (variable title depending on the version).
- Manage cookies (depending on version, option related to cookies and site data).
- iPhone / iPad : app Settings → Safari.
- Activate Preventing follow-up on several areas.
- Check Access to the camera / microphone / location (according to iOS, these permissions are also managed in Settings → Confidentiality and security).
- Confidentiality report : in Safari, open the menu Safari (Mac) or button aA (iOS, in the address bar) → search Confidentiality report / Confidentiality (access and title vary depending on the version).
Not to be over-interpreted
Even with good settings, Safari does not hide everything: the activity can remain visible to the access provider or the network of an establishment, and some external services retain traces according to usage.
Firefox: more control and a true "privacy" culture
Firefox remains a reference for those who want more control and a more explicit approach to privacy. For many teachers, this is a good compromise between comfort and mastery.
Why Firefox has a good reputation
- Anti-tracking protections are activated by default ("Standard" level), with the possibility of moving to stricter protection.
- Setting options that are legible enough to choose a level of protection.
- The possibility of going further … while accepting a compromise: the more protection strict, the more certain sites are likely to function less well.
🧭 Firefox – step by step to find the settings listed
- ☰ Menu → Settings (or Settings) → Privacy and security.
- Section Enhanced protection against tracking (variable title depending on the version): choose Standard, Strict or Customized.
- Check the blocking of tracking cookies and tracers (variable labels according to version).
- Permissions (camera, microphone, location, notifications) : ☰ Menu → Settings → Privacy and security → heading Permissions → click on … Parameters next to Location, Camera, Micro, Notifications to block by default or remove permissions already granted.
- Extensions : ☰ Menu → Extensions and themes → tab Extensions → disable / delete those that are not essential.
The exact headings may vary slightly from one version to another, but the overall logic remains the same.
Namely: some functions can be deactivated
Firefox offers advanced options around protecting the IP address or displayed content (depending on versions and services). This can be adjusted if navigation comfort or compatibility with certain sites is preferred.
Beyond the Browser: Best Practices That Really Matter
You can have the "best" navigator in the world and still get trapped. Confidentiality is not a checkbox: it is a set of habits.
Update, always
Updates fix flaws. Postponing them means leaving doors ajar. On an in-house computer park, this often goes through the IT department or the network administrator.
Beware of extensions
Extensions can be very useful … or very intrusive. Some malicious campaigns go through extensions that suck data or inject content. This is also true for certain extensions presented as ‘educational’.
Simple rules:
- install few extensions;
- give priority to those that are known and maintained;
- check the editor, the notices and the privacy policy;
- delete what is no longer necessary.
Keeping a "conscious" navigation
This is basic, but effective:
- avoid dubious sites;
- check requests for permissions, rather than systematically clicking on ‘Authorise’;
- avoid ‘accepting everything’ on cookie banners when a more limited choice is possible;
- on a shared computer, avoid letting the browser remember credentials and passwords.
Classroom / Institutional
In a school context, the issue of confidentiality is also a question of protection of student data and compliance. On shared posts (IT room, CDI, TNI), the challenge is also to prevent one student from accessing another's accounts or history.
Three useful reflexes:
- use an up-to-date browser on all workstations, even if this means regularly requesting the administrator or the IT department;
- Limit permissions (microphone, camera, location) by default, and activate them only during sessions where they are actually needed;
- monitor installed extensions on ‘shared’ profiles, giving priority to those validated by the institution or recommended by the ISD.
Example: on a computer room computer, avoid installing video capture or translation extensions ‘to test’ and then leave them active on all student profiles.
No magic setting but good reflexes
There is no magic setting, but a few simple choices already make it possible to significantly reduce tracking and avoid risky situations: block third-party cookies, activate protection against dangerous sites, regain control over permissions and regularly clean browsing data, especially on shared workstations.
Then, everyone to choose their balance : simplicity and integration (Chrome), built-in protections by default (Safari), or fine-tuning and detailed settings (Firefox).
For use in class, the important thing is less to block everything than to keep your hand on what is activated… and dexplain these settings to students, to make it also a medium for digital education.
English