Did You Know This Setting Exists In Your Browser? #GlobalPrivacyControl #digitalprivacy

Our Take

Credit to Mading Thok for putting a spotlight on Global Privacy Control, a free browser setting that tells websites "do not sell my data" and is legally binding in a growing number of states. It's a genuinely useful five-minute fix, and we're glad to see it getting attention — most people have no idea this exists, let alone that regulators are forcing browsers to support it by 2027.

But here's the catch we keep hammering on: GPC governs the data you generate by clicking around the internet. It does nothing for the data generated just by driving down a public street. Flock Safety cameras, license plate readers bolted to poles across the country, don't ask for consent and don't care what your browser settings say. They log your plate, location, and timestamp, often pooling that data into networks shared across agencies and sometimes private companies, with far less transparency than even the sketchiest ad-tech company.

So turn on GPC, sure — it's a free win. But don't mistake it for comprehensive privacy. The physical dragnet of ALPR cameras operates in a different legal gray zone entirely, one with far fewer opt-outs. Check our camera map to see what's tracking you in the real world, and visit our take-action page if you want to push back on surveillance that no browser setting can stop.