(/etc/machine-id) on every Linux system which uniquely identifies the computer.

[Ice Tea]

https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20190311#news

A discussion has been opened up on the Devuan mailing lists concerning the topic of machine IDs. The FreeDesktop documentation indicates there should be a file (/etc/machine-id) on every Linux system which uniquely identifies the computer. While the documentation says the file should be considered confidential, it appears some applications, such as the Chromium web browser, may report an error if this file is not present. This has led some developers to question whether the unique identifier should be removed, for security purposes, or if it holds any value for administrators. Some have suggested the value should be randomized to prevent the file from being used to track Devuan users.

 

[Randomface74]

Windows has similar stuff too.
https://www.nextofwindows.com/the-best-way-to-uniquely-identify-a-windows-machine
It's used as one type of identifier to ban people from video games.

 

[Hades]

Windows has similar stuff too.
https://www.nextofwindows.com/the-best-way-to-uniquely-identify-a-windows-machine
It's used as one type of identifier to ban people from video games.

But the ethos of Windows and Linux are very different. You expect to be tracked with Windows while you expect not to be tracked by Linux.

 

[pete910]

But the ethos of Windows and Linux are very different. You expect to be tracked with Windows while you expect not to be tracked by Linux.

Delete said file!

J/k aside, this wont go main stream tbh unless it's randomised on boot to stop possible malicious use

 

[memyselfandi]

Just because a file with a unique id is created does not mean you are being tracked. All it means is the file, with a unique id, is being created. You are only being tracked if some process is using that file's content and reporting it somewhere alongside other information on system activities.