Printer tracking dots: Difference between revisions
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Tracking dots, also known as printer steganography or machine identification codes (MICs), are an often-overlooked yet serious privacy concern. These tiny, nearly invisible markings are added by many color laser printers to every page they print. | '''[[wikipedia:Printer_tracking_dots|Tracking dots]]''', also known as '''printer [[wikipedia:Steganography|steganography]]''' or '''machine identification codes''' ('''MICs''') (see also [[Fingerprinting]]), are an often-overlooked yet serious privacy concern. These tiny, nearly invisible markings are added by many color laser printers to every page they print. While originally intended as an anti-counterfeiting measure, they have significant implications for privacy, surveillance, and personal freedoms.<ref>https://www.eff.org/issues/printers ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260219201248/https://www.eff.org/issues/printers Archived])</ref> | ||
Tracking dots are typically arranged in a barely visible yellow pattern on each printed page.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/</ref> These dots encode: | Tracking dots are typically arranged in a barely visible yellow pattern on each printed page.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/</ref> These dots encode: | ||
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It is worth noting that there is no public oversight or legal requirement for manufacturers to implement tracking dots, yet they are present in many common printer models. The lack of regulation means users have no recourse to disable this feature. | It is worth noting that there is no public oversight or legal requirement for manufacturers to implement tracking dots, yet they are present in many common printer models. The lack of regulation means users have no recourse to disable this feature. | ||
= External links = | |||
* [https://www.eff.org/pages/list-printers-which-do-or-do-not-display-tracking-dots Page specifying which printers partake in this practice] | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/ Guide to decode printer dot patterns] | |||
=References= | =References= | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:Printers]] | [[Category:Printers]] | ||