New Firefox Can Stop Some URLs from Tracking You Online

Users who despise being tracked while clicking on links outside of sites like Facebook may have finally found a solution in the most recent version of Mozilla’s Firefox web browser. The latest feature will prevent third party sites from tracking users once they click on a redirect URL.

Anti-Tracking Firefox Update

The new privacy option was discovered by sources following the release of Firefox 102 on Tuesday. According to the article, the new version allows users to eliminate tracking parameters from Facebook, Olytics, HubSpot, and Marketo. These parameters are effectively a bit of code appended to the end of a URL address that tells the original site that you clicked on the link, which firms add to the plethora of data they gather on each user for targeted advertising.

The most recent version of Firefox eliminates that final piece of code before it can be applied to the link you click on. It may be activated by heading to Settings, choosing Privacy & Security, and selecting the “strict” option under Enhanced Tracking Protection.

We tested the tracking removal feature, and it did remove the specific parameter; however, the list of codes Firefox can strip still lacks certain trackers, such as urchin tracking modules, or “UTMs,” which monitor where a new person loading the site is coming from, which is used to track how well an ad perhaps about switch phone may be performing. Brave browser presently bypasses most link parameters, but you may have to cope with additional questionable behavior on the browser’s side.

According to Firefox’s website detailing the new security feature, setting “strict” tracking protection may cause certain websites to stop working correctly. It also does not operate in Private Mode unless the browser is specifically configured. Users may also block additional online tracking technologies, such as cross-site cookies or web fingerprinting, using the browser’s settings.