Firefox ad tracking — Latest Mozilla Firefox browser now sneakingly enables ad tracking by default. The latest build in question is the build version 128.0 released on 9 July 2024 where it brings new features such as the ability to natively translate the selection of text from the context menu and simplifying the clearing user data menu.
However, on top of the useful update, Mozilla mentions that they are also testing out a feature where Firefox can act as a middleman to collect user data and anonymize it before sending it to the advertiser.
The full release note for 128.0 can be found here but to quote Fire fox note about the feature:
“Firefox now supports the experimental Privacy Preserving Attribution API, which provides an alternative to user tracking for ad attribution. This experiment is only enabled via origin trial and can be disabled in the new Website Advertising Preferences section in the Privacy and Security settings.”
Generally, the update itself is harmless and can even be beneficial for both users and the advertiser; where the user can have its privacy safe whilst the advertiser also receives the data it needs for its ad algorithm to work. Unfortunately, this is only if you can fully trust the company which is Mozilla to actually keep your data safe.
What’s unfortunate about this update is that Firefox is pushing the update and enabling it without users’ consent as reported by several users on Reddit.
How to disable Firefox ad tracking
1. Click the “Settings” option within the hamburger menu next to the extensions.
2. Press the “Privacy & Security” and scroll down until you find “Website Advertising Preferences”
3. Untick the “Allow websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement” and close the settings.
This should stop Firefox from collecting your data and push it to the advertiser. In addition, you can also try to install the uBlock Origin extension to prevent any attempt from the advertiser or the browser from collecting your data.
Bottom line
Mozilla Firefox ad tracking is being silently pushed to users alongside the update 128.0 released on 9 July 2024. The new API is meant to “help” users by letting the browser anonymize their data before sending it to the advertiser.
Fortunately, the new feature can easily be disabled by accessing the privacy & security menu on settings and untick the “allow websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement”.
