INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Mozilla has today announced that, starting in October, the Firefox web browser will begin to implement new features aimed at blocking
The changes will make it much harder for third-party advertisers to track Firefox users' web browsing activity and, by extension, it will be
more difficult for ad networks to construct personalised profiles of those users.The rollout of Firefox's new blocking features won't
happen overnight, however
Instead, Mozilla has a three-step process in mind which will eventually ensure all ad tracking is blocked by default.Blocking ad trackers
Firefox began blocking pop-up ads way back in 2004, while an outright ad blocking feature was implemented in 2015, although it currently
only applies to Private Browsing mode.Last year, Mozilla launched Firefox Focus on Android, which automatically blocks trackers and
completely wipes browsing history when the application is closed
On Firefox for iOS, ad blocking was already available in Private Browsing mode, but earlier this year that feature was also switched on by
injecting a speed boost to page loads and enhancing general performance.Following that, Mozilla plans to remove ad trackers that follow
users across sites, a feature that will actively delete cookies and block third-party content storage
This will be tested by some Firefox users in September and, if successful, will be rolled out as a default feature in Firefox 65, due to be
released in January 2019.Finally, Mozilla wants to moderate deceptive practices in other areas, like fingerprint tracking (which can be used
to identify users by their devices) and cryptocurrency mining
but Mozilla has stated its intent to block these practices by default as well.Giving users a voiceOver the years, Mozilla has added features
to its browser to ensure user privacy was protected
For instance, the company added an extension to keep Facebook locked in its own sandbox after the Cambridge Analytica fiasco and this,
for content, but now they will have to ask for it, a positive change for people who up until now had no idea of the value exchange they were
