How to Protect Yourself from Tracking Cookies and Fingerprinting: Proxy + Anti-Detect Browser

If you work with multiple accounts on Facebook Ads, Instagram, or other platforms, you have likely encountered a situation where one account gets banned, and all the others follow suit. This is the result of tracking systems that monitor you through cookies and browser fingerprints. In this guide, we will explore how these tracking technologies work and how to protect yourself using proxies and anti-detect browsers.

What are tracking cookies and browser fingerprinting

Tracking cookies and browser fingerprinting are the two main technologies that platforms (Facebook, Google, TikTok) use to track users and identify multi-accounting. Let's break down each one in detail.

Tracking cookies: how they work and what they track

Cookies are small text files that websites save in your browser. There are two types:

• First-party cookies — created by the website you are visiting (for example, Facebook.com saves your session ID)
• Third-party cookies — set by external services (advertising networks, analytics, Facebook pixels)

When you log into Facebook Ads Manager, the platform saves cookies with your unique identifier. If you later log into another account from the same browser, Facebook will see these cookies and understand that both accounts belong to the same person. This is why simply clearing cookies through browser settings does not help — many trackers use recovery techniques (evercookies, zombie cookies).

Browser fingerprinting: the digital fingerprint of your device

Browser fingerprinting is a technology that creates a unique "fingerprint" of your browser and device based on numerous parameters. Even if you delete all cookies and change your IP through a proxy, platforms can identify you based on these characteristics:

• User-Agent — information about the browser and operating system
• Screen resolution and color depth — monitor size, number of pixels
• Time zone and system language
• Installed fonts — the list of available fonts is unique to each device
• Canvas fingerprinting — a method of rendering graphics in the browser (depends on the graphics card and drivers)
• WebGL fingerprinting — characteristics of 3D graphics
• AudioContext fingerprinting — features of sound processing
• Installed plugins — Flash, PDF readers, and other extensions
• Hardware concurrency — number of CPU cores
• Battery API — battery charge level (on mobile devices)

The combination of these parameters creates a unique fingerprint with a probability of identification of up to 99%. Even if two parameters match (for example, the same screen resolution for two users), the other 15-20 parameters will differ. This is why simply changing the IP through a regular proxy does not protect against account linking.

How platforms track users and link accounts

Modern platforms use multi-layered tracking systems that analyze dozens of parameters simultaneously. Let's examine specific mechanisms using popular platforms as examples.

Facebook and Instagram tracking system

Facebook uses one of the most advanced multi-account detection systems. Here’s what the platform tracks:

• IP address and geolocation — if multiple accounts log in from the same IP, this is the first signal
• Browser fingerprint — unique fingerprint of the browser (Canvas, WebGL, fonts)
• Facebook Pixel — if you visit websites with the Facebook pixel installed, the platform tracks your behavior even outside the social network
• Behavioral patterns — typing speed, mouse movements, pauses between actions
• Connections between accounts — mutual friends, likes on the same posts, transitions between accounts
• Device metadata — phone model, app version, device ID (for mobile applications)

When Facebook detects a connection between accounts, a so-called chain ban occurs — all linked accounts are blocked simultaneously. This is particularly critical for arbitrageurs who work with Facebook Ads account farms: losing 10-20 accounts at once can mean losses of tens of thousands of rubles.

Google Ads and the Trust Score system

Google uses a Trust Score system — a trust rating for the account calculated based on numerous factors:

• IP address history — if accounts have been blocked from your IP before, new ones will be under suspicion
• Data consistency — matching geolocation of the IP with the browser's time zone and system language
• Google Analytics and Tag Manager — if you manage multiple websites from one browser, Google sees the connection
• Cross-device tracking — data synchronization between devices via Google account

Google is particularly strict about inconsistencies: if your IP shows Moscow while the browser's time zone is set to Vladivostok, this is a red flag for the security system.

TikTok Ads and Device ID

TikTok employs an aggressive tracking system, especially in the mobile app:

• Device ID — unique device identifier (IMEI, Android ID, IDFA on iOS)
• SIM card — information about the mobile operator and phone number
• Wi-Fi fingerprinting — a list of available Wi-Fi networks around you (even if you are not connected to them)
• Sensor data — data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer (unique to each device)

To work with TikTok through the web version, arbitrageurs often use mobile proxies, which emulate connections through mobile operators and appear more natural to the platform's anti-fraud systems.

The role of proxies in protection against tracking

A proxy server is the first level of protection in the anonymity system. It masks your real IP address, replacing it with the proxy server's IP. However, it is important to understand that proxies do NOT protect against browser fingerprinting — for that, anti-detect browsers are needed. Proxies and anti-detect work together, solving different tasks.

What proxies provide in the context of tracking protection

Proxies perform several critically important functions:

• Masking the real IP — platforms see the proxy server's IP, not your home or office IP
• Account separation by IP — each account operates through its unique IP, which eliminates linking by this parameter
• Geographical binding — the ability to choose an IP from the desired country or city to match the account's location
• IP rotation — some types of proxies allow changing IP at certain intervals, simulating the behavior of a regular user
• Protection against IP bans — if one IP gets banned, your other accounts on different IPs remain safe

Why one proxy is not enough

Many newcomers to arbitrage and SMM think that simply buying a proxy is enough to safely work with multiple accounts. This is a dangerous misconception. Here’s a real example:

Conclusion: proxies only solve the IP address problem but do not protect against fingerprinting. For complete protection, a proxy + anti-detect browser bundle is needed.

How proxies and anti-detect browsers work together

The correct protection scheme looks like this:

1. Proxy changes the IP address — each account receives a unique IP
2. Anti-detect browser changes the fingerprint — a unique digital fingerprint is created for each account (Canvas, WebGL, fonts, User-Agent, etc.)
3. Combination of IP + fingerprint — the anti-detect automatically selects browser parameters that match the geolocation of the proxy (for example, if the IP is from Germany, the browser will be in German and have a European time zone)

This combination creates the illusion for the platform that each account belongs to a different person from a different device in a different location.

Protection against browser fingerprinting through anti-detect browsers

An anti-detect browser is a special browser (usually based on Chromium) that allows creating multiple isolated profiles with unique digital fingerprints. Each profile simulates a separate device and user.

Popular anti-detect browsers for multi-accounting

There are several leaders in the market that are used by arbitrageurs and SMM specialists:

Which fingerprint parameters does the anti-detect browser change

Modern anti-detect browsers replace or mask the following parameters:

• Canvas fingerprint — adds noise to the graphics rendering, making the fingerprint unique
• WebGL fingerprint — replaces graphics card and driver parameters
• AudioContext — changes the way sound is processed
• User-Agent — substitutes information about a different browser and OS
• Screen resolution — emulates a different monitor size
• Time zone — automatically adjusts to the proxy's geolocation
• Browser languages — correspond to the country of the IP address
• Fonts — emulates a font set typical for the chosen OS
• WebRTC — blocks the leak of the real IP through WebRTC
• Geolocation API — replaces coordinates with those corresponding to the proxy IP

Important: the anti-detect does not just substitute random values. It creates a consistent fingerprint where all parameters are logically connected. For example, if a Windows 10 User-Agent is selected, then the font set will correspond to Windows, not macOS.

Automatic adjustment of fingerprint to proxy IP

One of the most useful features of modern anti-detects is the automatic determination of the proxy's geolocation and adjustment of browser parameters. Here’s how it works in Dolphin Anty:

1. You enter the proxy data (IP:PORT:LOGIN:PASS)
2. Dolphin checks the IP and determines the country (for example, Germany, Berlin)
3. Automatically sets the browser to German language (de-DE)
4. Changes the time zone to Europe/Berlin
5. Selects a User-Agent popular in Germany
6. Geolocation API shows the coordinates of Berlin

This is critically important because a mismatch between the geolocation of the IP and browser parameters is one of the main signs of proxy usage, which anti-fraud systems easily detect.

Setting up the proxy + anti-detect browser bundle

Let's break down the step-by-step setup using Dolphin Anty — one of the most popular anti-detect browsers among arbitrageurs. The process is similar in other browsers (AdsPower, GoLogin), only the menu item names differ.

Step 1: Preparing the proxy

Before setting up, make sure you have the proxy data in the format:

IP:PORT:USERNAME:PASSWORD
Example: 123.45.67.89:8000:user123:pass456

If you are using residential proxies, make sure they support HTTP/HTTPS or SOCKS5 protocols — these types work with anti-detect browsers.

Step 2: Creating a profile in Dolphin Anty

1. Open Dolphin Anty and click the "Create Profile" button
2. In the "Basic Settings" section, set the profile name (for example, "FB Ads - Account 1")
3. Select "Platform" — for Facebook/Instagram choose "Windows", for TikTok you can select "Android" or "iOS"
4. In the "Proxy" field, click "New Proxy"

Step 3: Configuring the proxy in the profile

1. Select proxy type: HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS5 (SOCKS5 is recommended for maximum stability)
2. Paste the proxy data:
   • Host (IP address): 123.45.67.89
   • Port: 8000
   • Login: user123
   • Password: pass456
3. Click the "Check Proxy" button — Dolphin will check the connection and determine the geolocation
4. If the check is successful, you will see the country and city of the IP address

Step 4: Configuring the fingerprint

After adding the proxy, Dolphin will automatically adjust the browser parameters, but you can configure them manually:

• User-Agent — leave "Real" (Dolphin will select a popular one for the chosen OS)
• WebRTC — select "Changed" (this will block the leak of the real IP)
• Canvas — "Noise" (adds uniqueness to the fingerprint)
• WebGL — "Noise"
• Geolocation — "Allow" and specify the coordinates of the proxy city (Dolphin will auto-fill this)
• Time zone — "Auto" (will adjust to the proxy IP)
• Languages — "Auto" (will correspond to the country of the IP)

Step 5: Saving and launching the profile

1. Click "Create" — the profile will be saved in the list
2. Click the "Start" button next to the profile — a browser will open with the configured fingerprint and proxy
3. Check the settings: go to the site 2ip.ru or whoer.net — you should see the proxy IP, not your real one
4. Check WebRTC: on the site browserleaks.com/webrtc there should be no real IP

Important points when setting up

Which proxies provide better protection: a comparison of types

Not all proxies are equally effective for protection against tracking. Let's examine three main types and their applicability for multi-accounting.

Residential proxies: the gold standard for social media

Residential proxies use IP addresses of real home users. For Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads, such IPs look completely natural — platforms cannot distinguish them from regular users. This is why residential proxies are the standard for arbitrage and multi-accounting.

When to use residential proxies:

• Account farming for Facebook Ads, Google Ads
• Managing client accounts on Instagram, TikTok
• Working with ad accounts (especially when warming up new accounts)
• Any tasks where a high level of platform trust is important

Mobile proxies: for maximum protection

Mobile proxies use IPs of mobile operators (MTS, Beeline, Tele2). The feature of mobile IPs is that they are dynamic and change frequently, while one IP can be used by thousands of real users simultaneously. This makes banning by IP almost impossible.

When to use mobile proxies:

• TikTok Ads — the platform is particularly loyal to mobile IPs
• Restoring banned accounts (mobile IPs raise fewer suspicions)
• Working with accounts that were created through the mobile app
• Situations where maximum protection against chain bans is needed

Why data centers are NOT suitable for social media

Data center proxies are IPs of servers in hosting companies. They are fast and cheap, but have a critical drawback: platforms easily identify them as proxies. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok maintain databases of data center IPs and automatically reduce trust in accounts that log in from them.

Data center proxies are only suitable for tasks where a high level of trust is not required: website parsing, SEO checks, mass API requests.

Common mistakes that reveal multi-accounting

Even when using proxies and anti-detect browsers, newcomers make mistakes that lead to account linking and bans. Let's discuss the most common ones.

Mistake 1: Mismatch between IP geolocation and browser parameters

Example: you are using a proxy with an IP from Germany, but the browser settings are set to Russian language and Moscow time zone. For anti-fraud systems, this is a red flag — a regular user from Germany would not have such settings.

Solution: Use the automatic parameter adjustment feature in anti-detect browsers. Dolphin Anty, AdsPower, and GoLogin automatically determine the proxy country and adjust language, time zone, and geolocation.

Mistake 2: Using one proxy for multiple accounts

Some try to save money by using one proxy for 2-3 accounts, hoping that different fingerprints will save them from linking. This does not work — platforms easily link accounts by IP, even if all other parameters are different.

Solution: The strict rule is — one account = one unique proxy. No exceptions.

Mistake 3: Real IP leak through WebRTC

WebRTC is a technology for video calls in the browser. The problem is that WebRTC can expose your real IP even when using a proxy. This happens because WebRTC establishes a direct connection, bypassing the proxy server.

Solution: In the settings of the anti-detect browser, make sure to enable the "WebRTC — Changed" or "Blocked" option. You can check for leaks on the site browserleaks.com/webrtc — your real IP should not be there.

Mistake 4: Sudden IP change for an existing account

If a Facebook account has been working for a month with an IP from Moscow and then suddenly logs in with an IP from Berlin — this will trigger a security check. Platforms track IP history and react to anomalies.

Solution: Use a permanent proxy for each account. If you need to change the IP (for example, the old proxy stopped working), do it gradually: first log in with a new IP from the same city/country, wait a few days, and only then proceed to active work.

Mistake 5: Identical creatives and texts across different accounts

This is not directly related to proxies but often ruins arbitrageurs. If 5 different Facebook Ads accounts run absolutely identical ads with the same images and texts — Facebook's algorithms will link these accounts, even if the IP and fingerprint are different.

Solution: Use different creatives, texts, and landing pages for each account. Even small changes (a different headline, a different image) reduce the risk of linking.

Mistake 6: Logging into multiple accounts in quick succession

If you log into 10 different Facebook accounts in 5 minutes (even with different IPs and fingerprints), it looks suspicious. A regular user does not behave this way.

Solution: Take breaks between logins to different accounts (at least 5-10 minutes). Simulate the behavior of a regular user: after logging in, scroll through the feed, like a couple of posts, and only then proceed to work tasks.

Conclusion

Protection against tracking cookies and browser fingerprinting is a complex task that requires using two tools simultaneously: proxies for masking the IP address and anti-detect browsers for replacing the digital fingerprint. Only the combination of these technologies ensures safe multi-accounting on Facebook Ads, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms with advanced anti-fraud systems.

Key takeaways from the article:

• Proxies only solve the IP problem — to protect against fingerprinting, an anti-detect browser is needed
• Residential and mobile proxies provide a high level of platform trust; data centers are not suitable for social media
• It is critically important to match the geolocation of the IP with the browser parameters (language, time zone, coordinates)
• One account = one unique proxy — never use one IP for multiple accounts
• Always block IP leaks through WebRTC in the settings of the anti-detect browser

If you plan to work with multi-accounting on advertising platforms or manage client accounts on social media, we recommend starting with residential proxies — they provide the optimal balance between platform trust level and cost. For working with TikTok and tasks with heightened security requirements, consider mobile proxies, which provide maximum protection against bans due to IPs from mobile operators.