No Google Chrome Flock Tracking (module for Omeka S)

IMPORTANT: This module is deprecated and has been replaced by the module Privacy and won’t be updated any more. The upgrade from it is automatic.

New versions of this module and support for Omeka S version 3.0 and above are available on GitLab, which seems to respect users and privacy better than the previous repository.

No Google Chrome Flock Tracking is a module for Omeka S that adds a HTTP header to forbid Google to track visitors via Chrome and derivative browsers.

Indeed, with the new versions of Chrome and derivative browsers, Google steals directly your browsing history even if you forbid it, creates a profile, and gives access to it to any other tracking tool via a unique flock identifier (abandoned) or via a list of browsing interests.

The Topics API is not a web standard because it is rejected by privacy supporters like Mozilla (Firefox) and Apple (Safari), but supported by Google and implemented in Chrome and derivative browsers, mainly Microsoft Edge.

Remember: the only difference between Google (the same for Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, etc.) and any hacker on the web is the fact that you checked a box (or not) to agree CGU (regularly updated without your real consent) some years ago when you installed it.

Note on the module and privacy

Originally the module disabled the FLoC ("Federated Learning of Cohorts") API through the interest-cohort directive of the Permissions-Policy header. FLoC was abandoned by Google in 2022 and replaced by the Topics API, part of the so-called ironically "Privacy Sandbox" (the privacy is protected against hackers, except Google, ad sellers that buy your data through Google, and any American state agency via the Patriot Act). The Topics API still profiles visitors from their browsing history inside Chrome and shares topics with advertisers.

This tracking remains illegal in most countries (GDPR / ePrivacy), whatever Google says, but this header is required to explicitly forbid Google to include the visitor activity on this site in their interest profile.

This module can be used in conjunction with the module EU Cookie Bar, that warns about the tracking by cookies when Google Analytics or Facebook buttons are used to steal data of your visitors.

This module is useless if you can access the config of your server or if you can add the line below in the Apache file ".htaccess" at the root of Omeka. The Topics API is opted out site-wide by sending the header:

Header always set Permissions-Policy: browsing-topics=()

The module simply adds this line automatically if not present, after some checks. If a previous FLoC directive (interest-cohort=()) is found, it is upgraded in place to browsing-topics=(). Once installed, the module can be removed. Of course, it is better to include the line above in the main config files of Apache.

Important: The Apache module "headers" must be enabled first:

sudo a2enmod headers
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Nginx and other servers are currently not supported. The equivalent directive is the same header value, set at the server level.

Note that the header must be added to any response, not only to the Omeka ones: if the assets (images, js, css…) are not protected, Google will add (or maybe not) the site in the visitor profile anyway.

Installation

See general end user documentation for installing a module.

• From the zip

Download the last release NoGoogleChromeFlockTracking.zip from the list of releases, and uncompress it in the modules directory.

• From the source and for development

If the module was installed from the source, rename the name of the folder of the module to NoGoogleChromeFlockTracking.

Warning

Use it at your own risk.

It’s always recommended to backup your files and your databases and to check your archives regularly so you can roll back if needed.

Troubleshooting

See online issues on the module issues page on GitLab.

License

This module is published under the CeCILL v2.1 license, compatible with GNU/GPL and approved by FSF and OSI.

This software is governed by the CeCILL license under French law and abiding by the rules of distribution of free software. You can use, modify and/ or redistribute the software under the terms of the CeCILL license as circulated by CEA, CNRS and INRIA at the following URL "http://www.cecill.info".

As a counterpart to the access to the source code and rights to copy, modify and redistribute granted by the license, users are provided only with a limited warranty and the software’s author, the holder of the economic rights, and the successive licensors have only limited liability.

In this respect, the user’s attention is drawn to the risks associated with loading, using, modifying and/or developing or reproducing the software by the user in light of its specific status of free software, that may mean that it is complicated to manipulate, and that also therefore means that it is reserved for developers and experienced professionals having in-depth computer knowledge. Users are therefore encouraged to load and test the software’s suitability as regards their requirements in conditions enabling the security of their systems and/or data to be ensured and, more generally, to use and operate it in the same conditions as regards security.

The fact that you are presently reading this means that you have had knowledge of the CeCILL license and that you accept its terms.

Copyright

• Copyright Daniel Berthereau, 2021-2026 (see Daniel-KM on GitLab)