With the release of Firefox 128 came the integration of a new experimental feature that Mozilla calls Privacy-Preserving Attribution.
The feature is turned on by default, which means that users of the browser need to become active, if they want to disable it.
Mozilla published a support webpage that explains that Privacy-Preserving Attribution is.
Here is the main quote:
Mozilla is prototyping this feature in order to inform an emerging Web standard designed to help sites understand how their ads perform without collecting data about individual people. By offering sites a non-invasive alternative to cross-site tracking, we hope to achieve a significant reduction in this harmful practice across the web.
In other words: sites and advertisers may use the built-in feature for tracking.
Like Google Chrome’s Ad Privacy feature, it is using the term privacy loosely, some would say disingenuously.
Both systems change how users are tracked and call it an improvement to privacy. In the end, it still means that users are tracked. The fundamental difference is that users are no longer tracked on an individual level.
Mozilla says that its new system can only be used by a small number of sites in Firefox 128. The organization does not mention these sites.
How to disable Ad-Tracking in Firefox
For privacy, disabling these features is better than keeping them enabled or enabling them.
Here is how you do that in Firefox:
- Select the Firefox Menu and then Settings when the menu opens.
- Switch to Privacy & Security on the main Settings page.
- Scroll down until you come to Website Advertising Preferences.
- Uncheck the box “Allow websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement”.
That is all there is to it.
Pro tip: The user preference dom.private-attribution.submission.enabled determines whether this feature is turned on or off. Set it to false to disable it.
Closing Words
It is not without irony that Mozilla’s implementation in Firefox is in fact worse from a user’s point of view than Google’s. Google is prompting users, using euphemistic words, about the ad tracking feature. Mozilla has just enabled the feature without prompting users about it.
Mozilla has recently bought an ad-tech startup called Anonym, which it says is working on privacy-preserving ad technology.
Are you a Firefox user? What is your take on this? Feel free to leave a comment down below!
I am using Floorp (Firefox based browser) as backup for Brave. Hopefully, this feature will be disabled by default in Floorp.
On a more serious note. You just can not trust tech corporations. Corporations have zero loyalties to you, so you should not have loyalty to them. Even not profit ones like Mozilla and Wikipedia will screw you at moment notice. As soon as something goes wrong, you have to be ready to switch to another product/platform ASAP. Always have a backup plan (research, from time to time, second choice product for almost any tech category). Do not buy any expensive tech products, unless you can control them 100%, and they can be functional without going online. Avoid software as service products at all cost. Do not subscribe long term to anything tech for more than a few bucks a month. Always be ready to be light on your feet and switch fast from one product to another, whether it is home and work software/streaming and gaming platforms/shopping website or even brand of the car you are planning to buy soon and so on.
I know I sound a little bit like a prepper nut, but regrettably this is reality. A lot of tech related companies are looking to screw their customers, and the ones that are not screwing their customers yet are sitting on the fence and will start doing it very soon.
I don’t have a huge problem with this “feature”, but I do have a problem with it – or anything, other than security updates – being turned-on-by-default. That’s not a friendly move by Mozilla.
Anyway, turned it off in about:config. Not tempted to switch to Chrome-based anything.
So Mozilla is jumping on the ad bandwagon now too. That’s a shame since there aren’t many ad free browsers around anymore.
Wow! “In other words: sites and advertisers may use the built-in feature for tracking.”
Indeed. The Advertisement & Tracking United infernal machine is making its way everywhere isn’t it? Now even within Firefox which I have always considered to be less intrusive than other browsers. Maybe still is, but looks like it’s catching up on the leaders of privacy intruders.
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I’m still running Firefox ESR (115.13.0) but as things are going, as news as this article relates, I couldn’t swear as by the past that Firefox will remain my default browser forever.
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They can’t help it.
Don’t you use Arkenfox Tom? I would assume that you did, since you contributed to its development, if not in terms of code at least in terms of ideas. I’m assuming that Arkenfox will disable this ad-tracking by default.
@Andy Prough, I didn’t really contribute to Arkenfox’s development otherwise than in promoting it. It has been and remains the basis of my Firefox pro-privacy settings, along with several others found elsewhere.
Disappointment is what I have in mind concerning this latest Firefox’s ‘Privacy-Preserving Attribution’ “feature”, not the fact I’d be concerned given 1- there’s an opt-out and 2- being concerned by privacy almost always allows finding a work-around even when there is no opt-out setting/pref.
To summarize : being able to beat an enemy doesn’t mean you wouldn’t prefer to shake hands with a friend. Unless maybe if you’re a dominant warrior by nature (combat in the blood ‘n’ flesh). I’m just disappointed that Firefox is taking a decision which scratches my confidence. You know, just like with a friend. Having to be on our guards is stressing, even if you win over your enemy. Confidence is such a gift of peace. And it’s not a problem of age, I as many of us have always been like that. But if you have to fight, then you fight, and you fight to win. But what a loss of time.
I’ve been using Mullvad Browser for a while now. Those ‘features’ don’t make it into this privacy oriented fork of Firefox.
Same here. Mullvad’s been my main tough, reliable workhorse browser since it all started. Yet I’d keep watching.
Wonder how that default setting found its way into my 115.13.0 portable. (I don’t deploy standalone Mullvad VPN, and just as recently the browser extension. FYI.)
Still dumbfounded. Though that had been resolved by disabling manually.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
“Website Advertising Preferences helps sites understand how their ads perform.” And that is done by doing what and when and how. Individually or collectively, Mozilla is gathering information by “clicks” and relaying that information to advertisers.
On such a day, 3 million people viewed your advertisement for the new Nike Floro. The majority of IPs came from New York, New York and were viewed, on average, for 36 seconds. Of those 3 million viewers, 1.8 eventually found a site where the shoes were on special and purchased one pair.
Something like that . . . ?
At least the preference isn’t enabled by default in Settings. It is, however, enabled in about: config. That’s “disingenuous!”
Enabled as a default setting in about:config. On current versions of Mullvad Browser, Floorp, LibreWolf, Waterfox, Mercury. Not found on Mypal or Palemoon. Just a heads-up.
@ Fish,
Are you sure you have the latest version of Floorp installed which is 11.15.0 as far as I’m aware. I just checked in about:config and don’t see it in there. It can be created as per the screenshot, but that’s the only reference to it that’s currently present: https://i.postimg.cc/3xpHSTYw/about-config-site-tracking.png
@ Martin,
It’s not included in Firefox ESR 115.13.0 which is the latest version supported on Windows 8.1. Similarly, it’s not present in the same format as the above screenshot either.
@Fish
I am using Mullvad V.13.5.1 (the current version) and “dom.private-attribution.submission.enabled” does not exist in the config.
If you search for it you get a box with a + on the right end to add it.
@Tachy
Lucky you. Don’t know how or when I got it on 13.5.1. So I had to disable it manually. Seriously. Have a nice day!
I love Firefox, but Mozilla shouldn’t resort to shady things like this.