this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2025
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Asklemmy
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No. I exclusively have used Brave just for Reddit specifically for this reason. I also used Edge, which came installed on the laptop. Maybe data from Edge is used in Brave or Reddit is somehow able to track that? I never went to Reddit in Edge, let alone logged in, but I did log into my Google account (which has never been linked to any Reddit account, but I've been logged into it on the same browser as my older Reddit account in the past).
I've used Reddit with my old account on Android phones and my old laptop, which ran Windows 10. This new one uses Windows 11. I did log into Windows 11 with my Microsoft account. Maybe that's how they tracked it? That seems far-fetched, but maybe?
No, and I only use Brave in incognito mode. I know that doesn't prevent anyone else from tracking anything, but it's supposed to not save local files after closing the browser.
I mean, I don't track every IP address I've ever used. As far as I know it's been a new IP address, but I really have no way of guaranteeing that. It seems incredibly unlikely I happened to stumble upon one I've used before, though.
Lemmy isn't to the point where it can be a Reddit replacement. Sure, for some stuff it's fine, but the user base is just too small. There are multiple subreddits for local communities around me that are very active which I like to check. There are communities for more niche hobbies, games, and books I like to follow. There's just WAY more content on Reddit that you can't get on Lemmy.
both google and microsoft are constantly slurping your data (including ip addresses and browser fingerprints) to sell to sites like reddit and they make a TON of money off it. i know for a fact that reddit buys google's analytics and that could explain whey it took a couple of days to catch up with you.
sites like reddit do keep track of your ip address via automated means and this is another way they can track you
is that content still worth it despite knowing that you're supporting the consent manufacturing that enables endless wars and genocides like the gazans or perpetuating the capitalist profit motives that makes things like housing and eggs so unaffordable for us?
i know that it seems like your contributions to this dystopian system feels negligible at most and likening reddit usage to it feels specious; but then again the drop of rain would never feel responsible for the flood if it could and, after all, it's only rain.
My guess would be your Windows ID. Did you use the same Microsoft account when setting up the new laptop as your old one? I know Brave should eliminate that but from what I've heard it just doesn't. It's all lies. You mentioned using Edge, and I am thinking that Microsoft and Google are both so heavily intertwined at this point that they are basically the same data cesspool.
Of course that is assuming it was a PC and not an Apple or Linux based device (again, you mentioned Edge). Other options would be a Samsung, HP, Acer, Google, or other manufacturer accounts. Google for sure. If you signed into Google anywhere else on that thing with your ID I would just assume your data was being beamed straight into every computer watching for it in existence.
Probably the Windows, then. Like I said above: