What is Global Privacy Control?

The Global Privacy Control (GPC) feature is a setting in some browsers and plug-ins to tell websites not to sell your personal data.

The GPC is intended to be a single, global setting users can activate in their web browser that signals to all websites the user's intention about their data privacy.

According to the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA), if a business collects personal information from consumers online, then under the CCPA Regulations it must “treat user-enabled global privacy controls, such as a browser plug-in or privacy setting, device setting, or other mechanism, that communicate or signal the consumer’s choice to opt-out of the sale of their personal information as a valid request . . . for that browser or device, or, if known, for the consumer.”

  • Put simply, GPC allows you to opt out of having your personal data sold by all of the websites you visit with a single click.

    In recent years, there has been increasing scrutiny of privacy rights online. Everything we do online is tracked, followed and analyzed - all without our knowledge or consent. Considering how valuable and precious personal data is, it’s important that the decisions regarding what happens with the data are easily made by the owner of the data.

    Right now in Chrome there is no global way for users to opt-out of having their personal information sold or used in ways they don't approve of. Every website that needs to comply with legal mandates — or simply implement more progressive privacy policies — must implement an opt-out mechanism on its own.

    The GPC is built to inform websites not to sell user data. This is different from other privacy tools that might limit tracking but might still allow user data to be sold (or to sell that data itself).

    Google is devoting substantial resources to developing "cleaner" tracking models like Topics and Fledge. These maintain tracking activities and ad personalization while removing some of the rougher edges of the legacy cookie system. This is not enough. Google needs to stop interpreting what their Chrome users want for them and let them say for themselves.

  • Abine: The Abine Blur privacy plug-in for Google Chrome includes a toggle to enable GPC.

    Brave: The Brave desktop web browser includes a GPC control.

    Disconnect: Disconnect is a paid privacy app for iOS and Mac. It now includes a GPC feature.

    DuckDuckGo: Both the mobile browser and Chrome plug-in include a GPC feature.

    Firefox: The Firefox web browser includes a GPC feature.

    OptMeowt: OptMeowt is a privacy-focused browser extension that includes a GPC feature.

    Privacy Badger: The EFF's Privacy Badger is a popular privacy plug-in for common browsers. It now features GPC as well.

  • Apple Safari and Google Chrome currently do not offer the GPC feature. Safari has eliminated many third party cookies, while choosing not to use the GPC protocol. Meanwhile, Google Chrome is a laggard. It removed its FLOC system (a new and improved cookie) under fire, and is now offering up Topics and Fledge as substitutes. Neither provides users with enough control over the use of their personal data.

  • The main purpose of Chrome’s Incognito Mode is to keep your browsing history private from other users on your device. It does not hide your browsing from your internet service provider or your employer, and it doesn't wipe files you've downloaded.

    If you sign in to Google while using incognito mode, then your searches will again be logged and associated with your account (if that's how your Google account preferences are set up) and Google can also be using its ad network and tracking technologies on other sites to track you on there too.

  • There’s several things you can do to get involved: sign on to our open letter to Google, give us a testimonial about why it is important to you that Google commits to real consumer privacy, and spread the word on social media using the hashtag #ChromePrivacy.