ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

DoNotTrackMe

Okay kiddo, have you heard of the internet? It's like a big playground where lots of people play and share things with each other. But sometimes, you don't want everyone to know what you're doing or looking at, right? That's where something called "Do Not Track" comes in.

Basically, Do Not Track is like a secret code that tells the websites you visit that you don't want them to track or follow you around the internet. When you turn on Do Not Track, it's like putting up a big sign that says "please don't follow me!" to all the websites you visit.

Why do some people want to use Do Not Track? Well, imagine if every time you played on a certain toy at the playground, someone took notes and followed you around to see what else you liked to do. It might feel kind of creepy and like you don't have much privacy, right?

The same thing can happen on the internet. Websites can track which pages you visit, what you click on, and even things like your age, location, and interests. They use this information to show you ads or recommend things that they think you might like.

So if you'd rather not have websites follow you around like a puppy dog, you can turn on Do Not Track to hide your online activities. It doesn't guarantee that you won't be tracked at all, but it's like wearing a special cloak of invisibility that makes it harder for websites to track you.

Some web browsers (like Firefox or Safari) have a built-in Do Not Track feature that you can turn on. You can also use browser extensions or add-ons that block certain types of tracking. Just remember that some websites might not honor your Do Not Track request, so it's still important to be careful about what you share online!