Mozilla has announced that it will roll out Total Cookie Protection, its most powerful cookie blocking technology ever, to the Firefox browser.
New technology blocks third-party cookie trackers, preventing advertisers from tracking users across sites.
Comprehensive Cookie Protection
The new Firefox cookie blocker restricts all cookies to a “cookie jar” specific to the website that sets the cookie. Any cookies set by a website are basically deactivated when the user leaves the website and visits another website.
This approach preserves site functionality and allows sites to collect analytics data that can help those sites provide a better experience for site visitors.
According to the Mozilla Firefox announcement:
“Total Cookie Protection works by creating a separate ‘cookie jar’ for each website you visit. They don’t allow trackers to tie your actions across multiple sites, but look at individual sites Anytime a website or third-party content embedded in a website stores a cookie in your browser that is limited to the cookie jar assigned to that website.
This approach strikes a balance between eliminating the worst privacy attributes of third-party cookies (especially the ability to track you) and allowing these cookies to fulfill their less intrusive use cases (eg, providing accurate analytics).
With Total Cookie Protection in Firefox, people can enjoy better privacy and the great browsing experience they expect. “
Improved previous technology
The new cookie blocking addresses a vulnerability in Mozilla’s previous privacy technology, Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), which allowed marketers to create a workaround to overcome Firefox’s cookie blocking.
Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) relies on a list of cookie trackers used to track users on the Internet. All trackers on the list are blocked.
But trackers not on the list are still able to track users. Marketing companies on the block list are able to bypass the block by creating new tracking domains.
Mozilla’s Total Cookie Protection defeats these workarounds by restricting all set cookies to a “cookie jar” that is limited to the site that set the cookie.
Firefox Tracking Protection
Total Cookie Protection is now available on Firefox for Desktop and is available as a default feature. This means users don’t have to dig through browser settings in order to turn it on, it turns on automatically.
The feature is also enabled through the Firefox Private browsing experience and Mozilla’s dedicated privacy browser, Focus, for mobile devices.This focus browser Available for Android and Apple devices.
Citation
Read the official Mozilla announcement
Firefox rolls out comprehensive cookie protection to all users worldwide by default
Image via Asier Romero/Shutterstock
