Glossary

ARCHIVED 2023-03-05, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20230305_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20230127_rev01

Full text changes — 20230127_rev01 to 20230305_rev01

COLOUR MARKS THE SEVERITY OF A FLAGGED CLAUSE · + AND − MARK ADDED AND REMOVED

 ## A
+Ad blocker
+[Ad blocker](https://brave.com/glossary/ad-blocker/)
+Third-party ads are annoying. But they also go hand-in-hand with trackers, working together to secretly collect your browsing and search data. This data is then sold to third-party advertisers, leading to ad retargeting, privacy and security risk, slow-downs in page load, battery drain, mobile data burn, and more. Extension-based ad blockers bring their own set of risks. Brave's ad-block feature-Brave Shields-is built right into the browser, and blocks third-party ads and trackers by default.
+An ad blocker is a browser feature, or a browser extension, that prevents your Web browser from showing ads on webpages, videos, streams, podcasts, or apps. Ad blockers often improve your browsing experience, but can bring security risks.
 AMP
 AMP is a non-standard form of HTML developed and pushed by Google. AMP pages look like they're coming from the original publisher's site, but in fact are cached versions of these pages that live on Google's servers. This makes AMP harmful to privacy, security, and the openness of the Web. AMP pages are often slower than the original publisher versions, too.
 Anonymity
 ## B
 Big Tech
 Big tech generally refers to any large technology company that makes widely-used software and hardware.
+Bounce Tracking
+[Bounce tracking](https://brave.com/glossary/bounce-tracking/)
+Bounce tracking (aka "redirect tracking") is when a tracker can know you and / or your interests by inserting an intermediary link between pages you visit. For example, if you're on dogs.com and you click a link to cats.com, you might briefly be taken to tracker.com first. The tracker could learn you like cats and dogs, and use this data to sell targeted ads. (Note this intermediate bounce to tracker.com will happen so quickly you won't notice, unless you're closely watching the address bar.)
+Bounce tracking is a technique used by Web trackers. It involves inserting an intermediary link between you and the website you want to visit, allowing a tracker to know you and / or your interests, and thus use this data to sell more targeted ads. This technique is also sometimes known as "redirect tracking."
 [Browser](https://brave.com/glossary/browser/)
 A browser (or Web browser) is an app for your computer, tablet, or smartphone that lets you look at and interact with websites. The browser "calls" the server on which a website is hosted, and then renders that site for you in an intelligible way. Note that a browser is different than a search engine.
 ## C
 [Extension](https://brave.com/glossary/extension/)
 A browser extension (usually just "extension") is a mini-app that can be downloaded and added to a Web browser to augment it's out-of-the-box functionality or to add a new feature. Common browser extensions include ad blockers, spell-checkers, dark-mode / visual altering tools, and crypto wallets. Extensions are usually made by third parties (i.e. not the browser), and not always policed or vetted for security / privacy risks.
 ## F
+Filter lists
+[Filter list](https://brave.com/glossary/filter-list/)
+A filter list is a list of ads, trackers, pop-ups, cookie consent notifications, or other website annoyances that people often prefer to block. Filter lists are commonly applied by ad blockers (either extension-based or browser-native options) to shield you from these annoyances.
+A filter list is a list of criteria that ad blockers and tracker blockers use to determine which content to block. This can include ads, trackers, pop-ups, cookie consent notifications, or other website annoyances.
+Fingerprint
+[Fingerprinting](https://brave.com/glossary/fingerprinting/)
+A fingerprint is a sufficient number of signals or data points that can be combined to uniquely identify you to a website. Browser fingerprinting works by collecting multiple things that are slightly unique about your browser or environment (e.g. your operating system, the size of your browser window, language setting, etc), and combining them into a unique, digital identification. As more browsers block cookies by default, Web trackers have shifted to fingerprinting-based tracking.
+A fingerprint is a combination of many characteristics of your browser and device that uniquely identify you to a website. Fingerprinting is a tracking technique that doesn't rely on cookies, which more browsers are blocking by default.
 First party
 With a website or app, first-party means the data or resources (which can include things like trackers, cookies, scripts, etc.) loaded directly from the service itself. First-party is contrasted with third-party, where some (or all) code, images, or ads load from a source other than the site or app you're using.
+First-party ad
+[First-party ad](https://brave.com/glossary/first-party-ad/)
+A first-party ad is an ad served directly from the website you're visiting, or the browser you're using to visit that site. With a third-party ad, by contrast, the ad comes from a different website than the one you're visiting. First-party ads are generally more secure and private, and present less risk of tracking or data collection.
+A first-party ad is a Web ad whose content is loaded from the same domain as the page showing the ad. The domain is the part of the URL after the "://" and before the next slash. For example, the domain of this page's URL is "brave.com." The opposite of a first-party ad is a third-party ad, which is loaded from a different domain than the page showing the ad.
 ## H
 [HTML](https://brave.com/glossary/html/)
 HTML (short for "HyperText Markup Language") is a system of special notations that specify what a webpage should look like and how it should work. HTML is how webpages-including their text, images, tables, links, forms, and so on-are transmitted over the Internet to your device. HTML is the standard coding (or "markup") language used to build pages that render in a Web browser.
+HTTPS
+[HTTPS](https://brave.com/glossary/https/)
+HTTPS is short for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure, a protocol for secure communication on the Web. HTTPS is an extension of the core HTTP standard, and generally protects data in transit between the server (where a website or app "lives") and the client (phone or computer) you're browsing from. Some browsers now automatically upgrade sites to HTTPS, or will warn you if HTTPS isn't available; sites where HTTPS is not available should be visited with caution.
+HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol, Secure) is a secure version of HTTP, the standardized method by which Web browsers and Web servers talk to each other over a network. HTTPS generally protects data in transit between a server (where a website or app "lives") and the client (the phone or computer) you're browsing from. Some browsers now automatically upgrade sites to HTTPS, or will warn you if HTTPS isn't available; sites where HTTPS is not available should be visited with caution.
 ## I
+IP address
+[IP address](https://brave.com/glossary/ip-address/)
+An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label that allows computers to talk to each other. Some IP addresses are public (meaning that other computers can connect and interact with them directly), while others are private (often because they're shared between many computers on the same network, like in a home office). Sometimes, your IP address can be used to identify and track you across sites and apps.
+An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label (like 203.0.113.43) that identifies a device on a network, and allows computers to talk to each other. Any device on any network will need an IP address so it can receive data from other devices; the IP address is how the network gets data to the right place. Some IP addresses are public, while others are private. Sometimes, your IP address can be used to identify and track you across sites and apps.
+ISP
+[ISP](https://brave.com/glossary/isp/)
+An Internet service provider (ISP) can provide home or work access to the Web, along with things like domain name registration and Web hosting. For many home internet users, connecting to the Internet means all data must go through some sort of ISP (and this ISP can see all your traffic and online activity unless you take steps to prevent it). Some examples of ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
+An Internet service provider (ISP) can provide home or work access to the Web, along with things like domain name registration and Web hosting. For many home Internet users, being online means all data must go through some sort of ISP (and this ISP can see all your traffic and online activity unless you take steps to prevent it). Some examples of ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
 ## M
 Malware
 Malware is a synonym for malicious software that's designed to disrupt, damage, or steal information from a computer, server, network, or other computing device. Examples of malware include viruses, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. When browsing the Web, it's important to take adequate steps to protect yourself from malware.
 ## R
 Randomness
 Randomness is the quality of lacking organization or structure, or otherwise being unpredictable. In the context of digital security, randomness plays an important role in cryptography and encryption-often used to generate random strings of characters and numbers known as "keys."
+Retargeting
+[Retargeting](https://brave.com/glossary/retargeting/)
+With regard to online advertising, retargeting is when users of a site or app are contacted via ads or emails to revisit the site or app, often to complete a purchase, or otherwise complete the conversion process. An example of retargeting is receiving an ad for a product you left in your shopping cart on a site. Retargeting often relies on cookies installed on a user's device to work effectively.
+Retargeting is a specific type of ad targeting, in which you're shown ads for something that you've shown interest in buying. For example, if you put an item in your shopping cart on an e-commerce site, but you don't check out, you might start seeing ads for that item all over the Web. Those ads are retargeted.
 ## S
 [Safe Browsing](https://brave.com/glossary/safe-browsing/)
 Safe Browsing is a service, run by Google, that catalogs fraudulent or malicious websites. It's integrated into several major browsers-including Brave, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox-so that they can warn you if you're about to visit such a site. Edge uses a similar (though slightly different) service that's run by Microsoft.
 A server is a device or software that performs services for other devices or programs, known as clients. Servers can be physical machines, virtual machines, or software that performs server-like functions. The client-server model is the traditional and most common method for deploying apps on the Web. In the new Web3 model, nodes take the place of servers, providing more distributed and decentralized architecture.
 Storage
 Generally, storage refers to the process of housing digital data on a virtual or physical device, like a hard drive. It's also common for websites to use "client-side storage," where they store info on your device (often via cookies) that can be retrieved as needed. This is what makes it possible, for example, for you to revisit a website and see that the items you left in your shopping cart are still there.
+Surveillance economy
+[Surveillance economy](https://brave.com/glossary/surveillance-economy/)
+Surveillance economy refers to the economic system where tech companies make money by tracking people, and collecting and selling user data. Data collection for the primary purpose of profit through advertising and marketing.
+The surveillance economy describes the business of collecting and monetizing people's personal information at scale, and the companies that are involved in this business.
 ## T
 Third party
 When visiting a website, third-party refers to the other websites and sources of code, images, and ads a website loads resources from to create the page you see. Contrast this with first-party, where the site will load resources directly from the site you're viewing. Users generally do not know which third-party resources are being loaded on a page, which can include things like trackers, cookies, scripts, and more.
+Third-party ad
+[Third-party ad](https://brave.com/glossary/third-party-ad/)
+A third-party ad is a type of advertisement presented on a website that is delivered by someone who's not the owner of the site itself (e.g. the content of the site comes from the owner, but the ads come from someone else). When you load the page, your device communicates with the intended website as well as a different ad server-and likely encountering their own trackers and cookies in the process.
+A third-party ad is a Web ad whose content is loaded from a different domain than the page showing the ad. The domain is the part of the URL after the "://" and before the next slash. For example, the domain of this page's URL is "brave.com." The opposite of a third-party ad is a first-party ad, which is loaded from the same domain as the page showing the ad.
+Tracker
+[Tracker](https://brave.com/glossary/tracker/)
+A tracker is a piece of technology that is inserted into the code of a website you visit in order to record your on-site activity. Trackers collect info like site visits, searches, and clicks as you browse.
+A tracker is a small piece of software, embedded in a website, that records your activity on the site. Trackers send information about the activity they've recorded to a tracking server, owned by the company that made the tracker. Web ads usually include trackers, though you couldn't tell just by looking at an ad. Social media buttons on other sites (such as "Like" buttons) also include trackers. Most trackers are invisible.
 ## U
 [URL](https://brave.com/glossary/url/)
 A URL (short for Uniform Resource Locator) is a string of letters, numbers, and special characters that identifies a place on the Internet, such as a website, and provides a method for reaching it. When browsing the Web, URLs appear in the address bar of your browser, as with `https://www.brave.com/glossary`. For this reason URLs are sometimes called "addresses."
 ## V
+VPN
+[VPN](https://brave.com/glossary/vpn/)
+A virtual private network (VPN) enables data to be sent over the Internet through an encrypted channel (or "tunnel") for extra privacy and security. VPNs can be used to remotely access private networks, or to shield personal info (like your IP address).
+A virtual private network (VPN) enables data to be sent from your device over the Internet (e.g. to a website) via an encrypted tunnel. VPNs can be used to remotely access private networks, or to shield personal info like your IP address, and generally allow for added privacy and security. But note that not all VPNs are created equal.