Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers

Malcontent · Jun 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM

Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers

Tracking code that Meta and Russia-based Yandex embed into millions of websites is de-anonymizing visitors by abusing legitimate Internet protocols, causing Chrome and other browsers to surreptitiously send unique identifiers to native apps installed on a device, researchers have discovered. Google says it's investigating the abuse, which allows Meta and Yandex to convert ephemeral web identifiers into persistent mobile app user identities.

The covert tracking—implemented in the Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica trackers—allows Meta and Yandex to bypass core security and privacy protections provided by both the Android operating system and browsers that run on it.
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stapp · Jun 4, 2025 at 12:22 AM

Meta said

"We are in discussions with Google to address a potential miscommunication regarding the application of their policies. Upon becoming aware of the concerns, we decided to pause the feature while we work with Google to resolve the issue."
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They could have just said 'oops we got found out'.

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Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers

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stapp Global Moderator

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Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers

Malcontent Registered Member

stapp Global Moderator

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