Stop Your Browser From Spying on You: 5 Quick Settings to Change

Every time you open your browser, it’s quietly collecting information about you—what you search, where you go, even your physical location. For the average user, that’s not obvious; it just feels like the web “works.” But behind the scenes, cookies, trackers, and permission requests build a detailed profile of your habits. The good news is you don’t need to be a tech expert to limit this. In June 2026, PCWorld published a guide covering five key settings that make a real difference. Here’s what happened, why it matters, and what you can do right now.

What happened

Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari come with default settings that often favor convenience over privacy. Third‑party cookies let advertisers follow you across sites. Location access can reveal your exact position even when you don’t need it. And sites can ask for your camera or microphone without much friction. Awareness of these issues has grown, and browser makers have added controls, but most users never find them. The PCWorld article highlighted five specific adjustments that can cut down on unwanted tracking without breaking your browsing experience.

Why it matters

Leaving these settings at default means you are sharing more than you realize. Ad networks build interest profiles, but that’s only part of the story. Location data can be misused or sold. Camera and microphone permissions can be exploited by malicious scripts or shady websites. Even “private” browsing modes don’t stop fingerprinting, where sites identify you by your browser’s unique configuration. Adjusting these five settings won’t make you invisible, but it significantly reduces the low‑hanging fruit that trackers rely on.

What readers can do

Below are the five changes recommended by PCWorld and other privacy guides. Instructions vary slightly by browser, but the core idea is the same. I’ll note where settings may differ.

1. Disable third‑party cookies (or block cross‑site tracking)
Third‑party cookies are the main tool advertisers use to follow you around the web. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data, and select “Block third‑party cookies.” In Firefox, the Enhanced Tracking Protection setting does this by default, but you can check it under Privacy & Security > Enhanced Tracking Protection. Edge calls it “Tracking prevention,” found under Settings > Privacy, search, and services. Safari blocks third‑party cookies automatically in recent versions.

Note: Blocking all third‑party cookies may break some embedded content (like social media widgets). If that happens, try Firefox’s “Strict” mode, which blocks only cross‑site trackers while allowing other third‑party cookies.

2. Turn off location access for sites
Most sites don’t need your precise location. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Location and set it to “Don’t allow sites to see your location.” Firefox: under Privacy & Security > Permissions > Location, click “Block new requests asking to access your location.” Edge and Safari have similar controls under Settings > Site permissions. If a site genuinely needs your location (like a maps app), you can grant it temporarily.

3. Block camera and microphone permissions by default
A site should ask every time it wants to use your camera or mic. In Chrome, navigate to Site Settings > Camera and Microphone, and set each to “Don’t allow sites to use your camera/microphone.” Firefox: under Permissions, set Camera and Microphone to “Block new requests.” Edge and Safari: same idea—disable default access and only allow when you specifically approve. This prevents any site from activating your hardware without your knowledge.

4. Enable Do Not Track (or Global Privacy Control)
Do Not Track is a HTTP header that tells sites you don’t want to be tracked. It’s not legally binding, but some sites honor it. More recently, Global Privacy Control (GPC) has become a stronger signal—it’s recognized by some privacy laws (like California’s CCPA). In Chrome, Do Not Track is under Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > “Send a ‘Do Not Track’ request.” Firefox has it under Privacy & Security > “Send websites a ‘Do Not Track’ signal.” Edge also offers it. Safari doesn’t use Do Not Track but includes Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which is similar.

Note: Neither guarantee total privacy, but they add a small layer of protection. GPC is worth enabling if your browser supports it—some extensions can add it.

5. Use a private DNS and disable preloading
DNS lookups can reveal every site you visit. Using a privacy‑focused DNS provider (like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 or Quad9) blocks many tracking and malware domains. In Chrome, go to Security > Use secure DNS and choose a custom provider. Firefox and Edge also have this setting under Network Settings. Additionally, turn off “Preload pages for faster browsing” (Chrome calls it “Preload pages”)—this prevents the browser from loading pages in advance, which can leak your browsing patterns.

Bonus: Consider adding a content‑blocking extension such as uBlock Origin (it blocks trackers as well as ads) and Privacy Badger (which learns to block trackers automatically). Both are free and available for Chrome and Firefox.

Sources

  • PCWorld, “Your browser is too nosy. Change these 5 settings now,” published June 11, 2026.
  • General documentation from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari support pages.
  • Global Privacy Control specification and adoption details from globalprivacycontrol.org.