Wednesday, December 11th 2024
Firefox Ditches 'Do Not Track' Feature in Version 135 in Favor of 'Global Privacy Control'
Mozilla says that "many sites do not respect" Do Not Track requests, as they rely on voluntary compliance, adding that the feature may actually harm user privacy—likely alluding to the fact that it makes it easier for sites to fingerprint and track you. As such, as of Firefox version 135, Mozilla will disable the Do Not Track feature. As a replacement for the feature, Mozilla recommends using the more advanced "Tell websites not to sell or share my data" toggle built into Global Privacy Control, which it says is more widely respected and backed by law in some regions.
This is also just the latest in a long line of changes to both Firefox and web privacy, at large. For one, Google recently completely removed third-party cookies from its Chrome browser—a move it claims is in support of user privacy but has been widely criticized for putting Google in something of a monopoly position when it comes to tracking the data of Chrome users. Overall, the community feedback on Reddit seems to be either positive or indifferent, although one criticism of the new reliance on Global Privacy Control is that GPC doesn't block Google Analytics tracking requests, although the reasoning behind leaving Google Analytics in-tact is that many sites don't function correctly when it is blocked or disabled.
Sources:
Mozilla Support, Global Privacy Control
This is also just the latest in a long line of changes to both Firefox and web privacy, at large. For one, Google recently completely removed third-party cookies from its Chrome browser—a move it claims is in support of user privacy but has been widely criticized for putting Google in something of a monopoly position when it comes to tracking the data of Chrome users. Overall, the community feedback on Reddit seems to be either positive or indifferent, although one criticism of the new reliance on Global Privacy Control is that GPC doesn't block Google Analytics tracking requests, although the reasoning behind leaving Google Analytics in-tact is that many sites don't function correctly when it is blocked or disabled.
Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a proposed specification designed to allow Internet users to notify businesses of their privacy preferences, such as whether or not they want their personal information to be sold or shared. It consists of a setting or extension in the user's browser or mobile device and acts as a mechanism that websites can use to indicate they support the specification.Essentially, GPC in Firefox tells the websites you visit "not to sell or share information about your browsing session on that website," although, notably, it doesn't appear to prohibit the collection of browsing data. According to Mozilla's support page about GPC, certain US states—California, Colorado, and Connecticut are called out specifically—mandate that GPC also be treated as a Do Not Track request, and in other areas, like the EU, UK, Nevada, Utah, and Virginia, GPC grants additional benefits on top of DNT, including opting out of targeted ads and sale of personal data.
35 Comments on Firefox Ditches 'Do Not Track' Feature in Version 135 in Favor of 'Global Privacy Control'
I remember one thing came out Musk's mouth, and it was actually a good idea.
Take the cookie prompts we have now which are only there due to legislation, but make them centralised, so once you select your preference, the law requires websites to honour that preference. It wont be perfect, we will still have the "because you reject tracking cookies we wont let you use our site", but it would be an improvement, I would also enforce a minimum period of time to remember the setting, something like 3 months, and for it survive browser updates as well.
We also need changes to 2FA, every time there is a browser update, suddenly I am considered to be on a "new device" so need to 2FA auth again. Apparently I have used 17 different devices on Nintendo's website, nope I have just used 2.
Personally I am currently ok with metrics, telemetry, being tracked. Those in principle now dont bother me that much unless I think its excessive like scanning documents, contacts, network that sort of thing, however I dont like noise, things that slow down browsing, intrusive adverts, extra javascript that sort of thing, and of course constant cookie prompts, so my motivation is cleaning things up rather than hiding my footsteps. Ublock origin as an example I have no privacy filters loaded, just ad and security filters.
Some people seem to have become obsessed with not tracked to the point they are prepared to load up a dozen black lists. break some web sites, devices and what not so they cant be tracked by anything.
My complaint? It's almost TOO modern. Edge, FF and Chrome are barely distinguishable from each other without customization.