Do Not Track Plus for Chrome

CNET Editors' review

If ad blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, Do Not Track Plus (DNT+) is a finely honed katana, slicing out tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

Do Not Track Plus extends your privacy

It's cross-browser and cross-platform, and will work in Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Safari. An Opera version is in the works. DNT+ blocks sites and ads from tracking you, unless you give them explicit permission to do so. For most sites, it actually rebuilds tools like social-networking buttons on the fly so you can still get your social on without sacrificing privacy or site load times. It also blocks ad networks and companies from following you around the Web.

DNT+ installs as a browser toolbar button. The icon reflects the number of tracking blocks against the site you're viewing. Click the button and a drop-down window appears with trackers separated into three categories: social buttons, ad networks, and companies. If there's something marked verboten that you want back, like a Twitter button, clicking it will resurrect it. Otherwise, the links at the bottom of each section take you to sites that explain what the add-on is doing and why it's doing it. This is smart, helpful stuff.

Do Not Track Plus protects your privacy as you bop around the Web, and lets you toggle those protections on the fly.

Do Not Track Plus protects your privacy as you bop around the Web, and lets you toggle those protections on the fly.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

The interface is clean if a bit cluttered with the verbiage necessary to explain what it's actually doing. The add-on's On/Off button could be bigger, too. Its features work well, with no noticeable lag times when loading sites. In fact, the only feature hang-up was that on some sites, the social networking buttons weren't re-rendered. It's easy enough to go into the add-on and reactivate them, but it is an imperfect implementation of a core feature.

If you're aware of the serious privacy risks on the Internet today, but looking for something more nuanced than an ad blocker or JavaScript killer that still lets you experience the modern Web, Do Not Track Plus lives up to its value-added name.

Publisher's Description

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All User Reviews
  • All versions:

    4.1 stars

    out of 48 votes

    • 5 star: 24
    • 4 star: 14
    • 3 star: 5
    • 2 star: 0
    • 1 star: 5
  • Current version:

    4.2 stars

    out of 37 votes

    • 5 star: 19
    • 4 star: 12
    • 3 star: 3
    • 2 star: 0
    • 1 star: 3
  • My rating:

    0 stars

    Write review

Results 1-10 of 37

  • 5.0 stars

    "Do what it says."

    March 8, 2012  |   By raffalcon1

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    Block and stop unsolicited pops.

    Cons

    none, none, none

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (2) (0)

  • 3.0 stars

    "Worked great for a couple days..."

    March 1, 2012  |   By gcoop88

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    I'm a pretty careful surfer, so I was quite surprised to see all that it blocked from "safe" websites. It's truely amazing!

    Cons

    A couple days after installing Do not track, I started getting "Aw Snap" messages and Chrome could not suddently get to any web page. I reinstalled chrome and Do not track again, and the same thing happened a few days later. I reinstalled chrome another time without DNT and have been fine for a week (fingers crossed).

    Summary

    Like DNt. There may b something unusual about my pc because I have not found any mention of this problem anywhere else.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

  • 5.0 stars

    "For those of us who still care about privacy"

    February 28, 2012  |   By GKDubs

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    - Provides insight into how you are being tracked (as well as who is tracking you; e.g., CNET)
    - Granular control over what I share with whom
    - Clean, intuitive interface

    Cons

    - None that I've found yet

    Summary

    DNT+ is a welcome browser addition for people uncomfortable with the fact that their every online move is being tracked, not just on individual sites but across the Internet (*cough* Facebook *cough*). Thanks, Abine!

    Reply to this review

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Seems to me that it does what it says."

    February 27, 2012  |   By CBCyber

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    Nice to have, even if it stops half the tracking that sites do. I have not noticed any slowing down of my system as the utility runs in the background. No crashing or problems of that nature.

    Cons

    Had just a small handful of sites that wouldn't load right or at all, but nothing that was important. Probably a questionable site to begin with.

    Summary

    Get it, it is one more tool in the security battle. The less tracking or adding cookies the less chance of some virus, malware or Trojan showing up.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

  • 5.0 stars

    "excellent browser"

    February 26, 2012  |   By tom13luck6

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    better and better

    Cons

    none so far i found

    Summary

    excellent

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

  • 5.0 stars

    "It works great!"

    February 25, 2012  |   By chrisinsmyrna

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    Amount of information made available regarding blocked accesses
    Blocked only sites I would have blocked.

    Cons

    None that I can find!

    Summary

    I installed this on both of my browsers (IE and Chrome). No trouble installing. It keeps a running tally of tracking cookies it has blocked (3,459 blocked so far). Social buttons, ad networks, companies. i can pull down the list of names. I recognize most of them as site I really don't want tracking me. For instance on this page that I'm using to do the review, it has blocked 12 tracking companies. An example is "revenue science". Should be obvious to the most casual observer what that's about, right? I have recommended this to all my friends on Facebook. I would recommend to anybody. To me, it's not so much about privacy; I'm just sick of all the advertising!

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Everyone needs to use this browser extension."

    February 25, 2012  |   By A-Wizard

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    It is elegant.

    Cons

    None for now.

    Summary

    I would never use the ANTI-SOCIAL network Facebook.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

  • 4.0 stars

    "Your going to like it!"

    February 22, 2012  |   By jackplane5

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    privacy at its best,gives you all you need to know.

    Cons

    none at all.

    Summary

    You must have it.Down loaded also on internet explorer,wish they had it for other browers.This will cover my reveiw for Internet explorer,same goodies.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (2) (0)

  • 4.0 stars

    "perfectly seamless"

    February 22, 2012  |   By ALMITARA

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    seamless and small

    Cons

    stingy feedback

    Summary

    Can't beat it for being unobnoxious--seems to do the job without fuss

    Reply to this review

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Works great"

    February 22, 2012  |   By charpps2

    Version: Do Not Track Plus for Chrome 1.0

    Pros

    does what it says it will do

    Cons

    none yet as far as I can tell

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

Results 1-10 of 37

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