About Privacy Badger
Privacy Badger is a free tracker blocker from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and its idea is simple: it learns instead of following a list. It watches third-party domains as you browse, and if one tracks you across three separate sites, it blocks it. It also gets learning updates from the EFF's own crawler by default, so a fresh install does not start from nothing.
It is smarter than a plain cookie blocker. Cookies that carry unique tracking IDs are blocked, while harmless ones such as a language preference are allowed. Domains that sites depend on get softer treatment: it strips their cookies and referrers instead of blocking them outright. Useful embeds become click-to-activate placeholders, and it sends the Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals by default.
It does not block ads, so run it next to an ad blocker rather than instead of one. The EFF says it will never share data about your browsing unless you choose to, which only happens when you file a broken-site report. Safari support is new, with a Mac App Store listing since October 2026. If you want tracker protection that needs no configuration, from a nonprofit with no stake in your data, install it.
Pros and cons
- Learns trackers from their behaviour, so it needs no filter lists
- Sends the Global Privacy Control signal by default
- Open source and made by a digital rights nonprofit
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari
- Does not block ads, so you still need a separate ad blocker
- Early on it lets more through while it learns, which takes a few days
- Can break embedded widgets until you adjust them
Permissions
It can read and change data on all websites, watch your open tabs and navigation, and change privacy settings. It needs this to inspect every third-party request and to set the privacy signals.
