When exploring the internet on a
browser application, a user will end up collecting quite the number of tracking
software, little programs produced by third parties for websites and other online
presences. These trackers send a user’s browsing data to their originators,
telling them what websites the surfer visits, what information he looks for,
and so on. While innocuous on its own, the data collected by tracking software
can be shared illegally by the companies that got them, as they are supposed to
be private. No wonder then that web browsers invest in features to block
third-party software trackers. Recently, Mozilla Firefox has proven itself the
toughest of them all.
The Verge reports that the latest version of the Firefox browser
from Mozilla, numbered 69, has taken the remarkable step of ensuring no
tracking software bothered all of its users by leaving activated by default its
Enhanced Tracking Protection feature. On a blog post, dated Tuesday, September
3, Mozilla announced the 100% coverage of all users of their browser thanks to
Enhanced Tracking Protection on Firefox ver. 69. This update carries on both
the desktop and Android mobile versions of the Firefox browser and is their
boldest move towards providing security protection for their users.
Of course, for regular Firefox
users Enhanced Tracking Protection is not exactly something new. The feature
was originally added via updates released on October of 2018, and at the time,
users had to opt into the function, as it was not active by default. Then just
this past June, Mozilla made ETP activated by default, but only for “new” users
who have downloaded and opened Firefox for the first time in their computers or
mobile devices. Now there is, as it were, no more excuse in making do without
Mozilla’s protection from third-party tracking software.
Granted, compared to tracking
blockers from other platforms such as for Apple Safari, the Enhanced Tracking
Protection offered by Mozilla Firefox is not a blanket ban over all trackers.
Rather, it only keeps out tracking software from a list of sources that have
been tagged as offenders, as well as sites added by users. In addition, the ETP
also protects from cryptominers, cryptocurrency generators that work by slowing
CPUs and draining batteries of affected devices. This is yet another example of
annoying online activity going on under the surface that will find no truck
with the latest version of the Firefox browser, out this week.
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