How to Use the Privacy Report in Safari

The Privacy Report is a feature in Safari, Apple's web browser, that allows users to have a better understanding of how websites handle their privacy and security. It provides detailed information on trackers, websites, and other elements that may compromise your privacy. In this tutorial, we will guide you through using the Privacy Report in Safari to protect your online privacy.

Note: The Privacy Report feature is available on Safari version 14 and above.

Step 1: Accessing the Privacy Report

1. Launch Safari on your Mac.
2. Click on the "Safari" menu located in the top-left corner of the screen.
3. From the dropdown menu, select "Privacy Report".

Step 2: Understanding the Privacy Report Interface

Once you've accessed the Privacy Report, you will see a screen displaying various sections and information about website tracking.

1. On the left-hand side, you will have a sidebar providing an overview of the number of trackers prevented and the number of websites visited in the past 30 days.
2. The main section of the Privacy Report will display a graphical representation of trackers categorized by the domains they belong to.
3. Clicking on a domain in the graphical representation will provide detailed information about the trackers associated with that domain.

Step 3: Analyzing the Privacy Report

To understand how trackers are affecting your privacy:

1. Review the graphical representation to identify which domains have the most trackers. This will help you recognize which websites you may want to avoid.
2. Click on a domain in the graph to view a detailed breakdown of the trackers associated with that domain.
3. The detailed breakdown will display the number of trackers and how Safari has handled them. Trackers can be categorized as "Prevented" when Safari has blocked them, "Allowed" if Safari has allowed them, or "Not present" if no trackers were found.
4. You can use this information to make informed decisions about which websites handle your information appropriately.

Step 4: Taking Action Based on the Privacy Report

Once you've analyzed the Privacy Report, you may want to take action to protect your privacy further. Here are a few actions you can consider:

1. Block Trackers: From the Privacy Report interface, you can directly block trackers associated with specific domains. Simply click on a domain and select "Block" next to a tracker to prevent it from collecting your information.
2. Manage Website Permissions: If you want to modify the permissions you've granted to certain websites, you can do so from Safari preferences. Click on the "Safari" menu, select "Preferences," and navigate to the "Websites" tab. From there, you can manage permissions for various website categories such as camera, microphone, location, and more.
3. Enable Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP): Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature is designed to prevent cross-site tracking. It's enabled by default, but you can customize its settings (e.g., allowing or blocking all cookies) from Safari preferences under the "Privacy" tab.

Conclusion

With Safari's Privacy Report feature, you can gain greater control over your online privacy by monitoring and taking action against website trackers. By following this guide, you should now be able to access and understand the Privacy Report, analyze the information presented, and take appropriate steps to protect your privacy while browsing the internet using Safari.