this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2025
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[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

How do you know which models do and dont? Print tracking dots.

[–] brisk@aussie.zone 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

https://www.eff.org/pages/list-printers-which-do-or-do-not-display-tracking-dots

Specifically note the updates

(Added 2015) Some of the documents that we previously received through FOIA suggested that all major manufacturers of color laser printers entered a secret agreement with governments to ensure that the output of those printers is forensically traceable. Although we still don't know if this is correct, or how subsequent generations of forensic tracking technologies might work, it is probably safest to assume that all modern color laser printers do include some form of tracking information that associates documents with the printer's serial number. (If any manufacturer wishes to go on record with a statement to the contrary, we'll be happy to publish that here.)

(Added 2017) REMINDER: IT APPEARS LIKELY THAT ALL RECENT COMMERCIAL COLOR LASER PRINTERS PRINT SOME KIND OF FORENSIC TRACKING CODES, NOT NECESSARILY USING YELLOW DOTS. THIS IS TRUE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE CODES ARE VISIBLE TO THE EYE AND WHETHER OR NOT THE PRINTER MODELS ARE LISTED HERE. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE PRINTERS THAT ARE LISTED HERE AS NOT PRODUCING YELLOW DOTS.

[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 days ago

Thanks for the link. Wild.