Last Updated on October 1, 2021
Ghostery is a browser tool available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera and Internet Explorer. It scans the page for scripts, pixels, and other elements and notifies the user of the companies whose code is present on the page. These page elements are not otherwise visible to the user, and often not detailed in the page source code.
Ghostery notifies you that these things are present, and which companies operate them. You can learn more about these companies, and if you wish, choose to block the scripts they operate.
Ghostery initiates a scan and decision for several types of page elements, and in some cases, this scan may represent a slight increase in page load times. However, if users choose to block page scripts, our lab research suggests that pages load faster on average.
Features include:
- Detects trackers, web bugs, pixels, and beacons placed on web pages by Facebook, Google Analytics, and over 1,000 other ad networks, behavioral data providers, web publishers.
- Learn more about each company it identifies.
- Block scripts from companies that you do not trust, delete local shared objects, and even block images and iframes.
- Blocks HTTP requests according to their source address in two ways: Cookie Blocking and Cookie Protection.
- Ghostrank – (optional) sends Ghostery servers anonymous information about the trackers you encounter and where you encounter them.
- Routinely updates its library of third-party elements (advertisements, tracking pixels, widgets, etc).
- Prevent the page elements it detects from running in your browser.
- Anonymous usage.
Website: www.ghostery.com
Support: FAQ
Developer: David Cancel, Felix Shnir, Alexei Miagkov
License: Proprietary
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