Normally, Safari will only accept cookies (data packets with information about the users) through websites the users visits themselves. Other cookies, for example the cookies of advertisers, will be blocked. The special code of Google that was placed in different advertisements made it possible to still send the cookies, so the user would be traceable.
The whole tracking system was made to see whether users were logged into the Google-services because of the +1 system. The +1 system is similar to the liking-system of Facebook. Google deactivated the code when The Wall Street Journal contacted them about this issue. Google says that the data is anonymized now.
How to tell if you are being tracked on Safari?
Safari users on a mobile device or a computer
1. Click on ‘’Settings’’ icon
2. Click on ‘’Safari’’
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen
4. Click on ‘’Advanced’’
5. Click on ‘’Website data’’
You will see a list of all sites that have stored data on your device. A website that you do not know, could be a tracking company. If you see doubleclick.net in the list, you most likely have a tracking tool on your device.
Safari users on the computer
1. Go to ‘’Preferences’’ and ‘’Privacy’’
2. Click on ‘’Details’’
You will see a screen including all sites that have stored data on your computer. The sites that you do not recognize storing ‘’Cookies’’ or ‘Local Storage’’ could be tracking companies.
Apple is trying hard to stop the tracking. If you want to take initiatives to block it yourself, you can follow the more complicated instructions here.
