Firefox will start blocking default trackers



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Firefox will now block thousands of web followers by default, protecting users from many websites, analytics companies, and advertisers wishing to follow their path on the Web. The change should speed up the browser and keep users' web habits more private, while encouraging advertisers to adopt less invasive practices.

The changes are a big issue for privacy, but Mozilla did not push the envelope as far as Apple did when it added a feature similar to Safari a few years ago. The Apple browser by default blocks almost all third-party tracking, rather than the only known follow-ups on a blacklist. Apple also prevents third parties from using the tracking software if you have not interacted with the website from which they came in a full day.

Apple's approach goes further in terms of protecting privacy, but it can also mean more headaches for users. Many elements of the Web use cookies, a key tracking tool, to keep users connected or provide them with relevant information. By aggressively blocking cookies, Apple may disrupt the browsing experience on some websites, however with the advantage of significantly limiting the amount of information about a user that each website can access .

Mozilla tries to find a common ground by blocking only known trackers and not all cookies in general. A spokesman said the company had discovered that blocking all cookies "led to scenarios in which some websites might not work properly." She therefore chose this partial approach to avoid "potential usability problems". Tracking lock settings from "standard" – default setting – to "strict".

Tracker blocking will be enabled by default for all new Firefox users starting today, and will become the default for anyone who already uses Firefox in the "coming months". If you're already using Firefox and want to take advantage of the built-in feature since October, you can enable the settings and enable them before Mozilla reverses the switch for everyone.

Although Firefox is not at the top of the pack when it comes to tracking blocking, it's still ahead of Google's Chrome browser, which is just starting to use features to limit tracking. Google has a vested interest in keeping a certain amount of web tracking alive – the company survives with often-targeted ads – unlike Mozilla and Apple, so Chrome may be left behind.

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