What is Do Not Track (DNT)?

DNT was an early browser setting that asked sites not to track you. Its fatal flaw: it was a polite request with no force behind it, and almost no site honoured it. Most browsers have removed or deprecated it, which is why it's largely a historical footnote now.

What is Global Privacy Control (GPC)?

GPC is DNT's successor with real teeth. Under laws like California's CCPA/CPRA, a GPC signal is treated as a legally-binding opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal data — so businesses covered by those laws have to honour it.

My browser sends DNT but not GPC — does that help?

Barely. DNT is a request nearly everyone ignores. If privacy is the goal, enabling GPC (built into Brave and some privacy extensions) does far more, because in the jurisdictions that recognise it, ignoring GPC is a legal violation.

How do I turn on GPC?

Brave sends GPC by default. In other browsers you enable it with a privacy extension such as Privacy Badger or DuckDuckGo's, or via the browser's own privacy settings where available. Re-run this test to confirm it's active.

Does sending these signals make me anonymous?

No. They're opt-out requests about data sale and tracking, not a cloak. They don't hide your IP, your fingerprint, or your traffic — they sit alongside those protections, they don't replace them.

Identity & account privacy

Do Not Track & Global Privacy Control checker

Two browser signals tell sites you don't want to be tracked or your data sold: the old Do Not Track (DNT) and the newer Global Privacy Control (GPC). This tool checks which ones your browser is sending right now — and explains why one matters far more than the other.

Reading your browser's privacy signals…

DNT vs GPC — why one matters and one doesn't

Do Not Trackwas the first attempt: a browser setting that asked sites not to track you. It had no force behind it, almost nobody honoured it, and most browsers have since removed or deprecated it. Seeing it "on" changes little in practice.

Global Privacy Controlis the successor with actual weight. Under laws such as California's CCPA/CPRA, a GPC signal is treated as a legally-binding opt-out of selling or sharing your personal data — so covered businesses have to act on it, not just read it.

How to turn GPC on

Brave sends GPC by default — nothing to configure.
In other browsers, enable it with a privacy extension (DuckDuckGo, Privacy Badger) or the browser's own privacy settings where available.
Re-run this test afterwards to confirm the signal is actually going out.

What it doesn't do

GPC and DNT are opt-out requests about data sale and tracking — not a disguise. They don't hide your IP, they don't change your fingerprint, and they don't encrypt anything. They sit alongside those protections; they never replace them.

Do Not Track & GPC checker — common questions

What is Do Not Track (DNT)?: DNT was an early browser setting that asked sites not to track you. Its fatal flaw: it was a polite request with no force behind it, and almost no site honoured it. Most browsers have removed or deprecated it, which is why it's largely a historical footnote now.
What is Global Privacy Control (GPC)?: GPC is DNT's successor with real teeth. Under laws like California's CCPA/CPRA, a GPC signal is treated as a legally-binding opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal data — so businesses covered by those laws have to honour it.
My browser sends DNT but not GPC — does that help?: Barely. DNT is a request nearly everyone ignores. If privacy is the goal, enabling GPC (built into Brave and some privacy extensions) does far more, because in the jurisdictions that recognise it, ignoring GPC is a legal violation.
How do I turn on GPC?: Brave sends GPC by default. In other browsers you enable it with a privacy extension such as Privacy Badger or DuckDuckGo's, or via the browser's own privacy settings where available. Re-run this test to confirm it's active.
Does sending these signals make me anonymous?: No. They're opt-out requests about data sale and tracking, not a cloak. They don't hide your IP, your fingerprint, or your traffic — they sit alongside those protections, they don't replace them.

Related free tools

Browser fingerprint checkerSee the signals your browser exposes and how identifiable they make you.WebRTC leak testSee whether your browser is handing out your real IP behind your VPN.

All free privacy tools

What NordSecure does about it

A free test tells you what's leaking. Fixing it usually means changing the device or the connection, not just the browser tab — which is exactly what NordSecure sells, without a name or an account.