Vivaldi introduces Tracking blocker functionality in latest build

[Karlston]

Vivaldi introduces Tracking blocker functionality in latest build

Vivaldi Technologies released a new snapshot of the next version of the web browser to the public today. Builds or snapshots are created regularly by the company to test new features and provide interested users with options to test these before they make their way into the stable version of the browser.

 

Most snapshots are unspectacular when it comes to new functionality but the latest release is an exception to that. Vivaldi introduced Tracking blocker functionality in the browser. Powered by a list maintained by search engine DuckDuckGo, the Vivaldi browser is capable of blocking trackers without installation of an extension that integrates the functionality.

 

The list that Vivaldi uses is the same that DuckDuckGo uses in its Privacy Essentials browser extensions. It blocks "most of the known trackers out there and should not break websites" according to Vivaldi.

 

The initial version is disabled by default. Vivaldi takes the cautious approach and wants to test the functionality before enabling the feature as it could impact some sites negatively. Interested users that use Vivaldi may enable full blocking however or block content on select sites.

 

 

The tracking blocker options are available in the Settings. Select Menu > Settings > Privacy and scroll down to the Content Blocker section to manage the blocking functionality. If you want Vivaldi to use the full DuckDuckGo blocking list, switch the Tracking Blocker setting from "Block Trackers on 'Always Block' List Only to "Block Trackers on All Sites".

 

You may also add sites to the "never block" and "always block" listing right there.

 

Vivaldi supports a second option that is accessible when you are on a site. A click on the shield icon to the left of the site URL displays an option to block trackers on that particular site. Just toggle the option to block trackers on that site from that moment on. The site is reloaded automatically when you change the state.

 

 

Note that this means that you are exposed to the trackers loaded on the site as these will get loaded by default if you don't configure Vivaldi to block all trackers on all sites.

 

The toggle works as a whitelist if you have configured Vivaldi to block all trackers.

Closing Words

Vivaldi Technologies uses the same method that Mozilla implemented in the organization's Firefox browser some time ago. Instead of implementing native ad-blocking, like Opera does, blocking is limited to known trackers to limit tracking.

 

 

Source: Vivaldi introduces Tracking blocker functionality in latest build (gHacks - Martin Brinkmann)