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I got banned from a couple of websites like Reddit, and my idea is to use a VPN to hide my IP and then factory reset my Android device so that the website can't recognise the device.

After looking online, there seem to be mixed opinions about whether factory resetting a device actually makes it look like a new device.

When you factory reset, does the MAC address or the serial number of the device change? And otherwise, are websites able to detect this information anyway? I guess a website can still see details of the device such as the OS it's using and its hardware specs, in any case, so even with a factory reset they'd still be able to see that particular information, wouldn't they?

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    MAC addresses and serial numbers are not accessible by apps or your web browser.
    – Robert
    Commented Jul 5 at 6:49
  • But I think websites could access these details, couldn't they, not being restricted by the limitations of a formal "app" nor those of a web-browser..?
    – william
    Commented Jul 5 at 15:59
  • No web browsers are just normal apps are therefore restricted as every other Android app. Access to unique identifiers is restricted to system apps, that was introduced years ago in Android. What however is possible is that websites device fingerprinting, however usually that doesn't allow to uniquely identify an Android phone.
    – Robert
    Commented Jul 5 at 16:05
  • @Robert Thanks for providing a good device fingerprinting link. I added the link to my answer in case your comment eventually disappears. Commented Jul 5 at 23:24

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In all likelihood, simply changing the IP address will be sufficient. Banning someone from a website is a little silly and largely pointless because it is trivial for someone to bypass that ban. It's usually better to limit functionality to newcomers, as Stack Exchange does.

Factory resetting your device is largely pointless. Sites cannot directly determine a connected device's MAC address (but can potentially do so through a court order or via hack, bribery, or blackmail).

Serial numbers, except in special circumstances, do not come into play at all.

What can come into play is device fingerprinting. Every device has a fingerprint, some more unique than others. Generally speaking, the more unique settings/software/fonts/hardware your device has, the more unique your device's fingerprint will be. Factory resetting will have no effect on your device's fingerprint if you install the same software and configure the device with the same settings.

A larger issue, however, is to take a close look at why you were banned. You reported you have now been banned from "a couple of websites like Reddit". The fact that you have been banned from multiple websites indicates that your behaviour is likely unacceptable to the communities from which you have been banned. Spend some quiet personal time thinking about why you want to be a part of communities in which you are not a valued member and in which you are likely disturbing others. Occasionally, bans happen because petty small-minded power-hungry people intentionally seek out and obtain the power to impose bans on others. But if you've been banned from multiple sites, respectfully, there's a real good chance that it's time to take a long and thoughtful close look at the person you see in the mirror.

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