Firefox often finds itself in a challenging position, aiming to be a privacy-friendly browser while relying heavily on funding from Google, a company whose core business is advertising. With the release of Firefox 128, the browser introduced a feature called ‘privacy-preserving ad measurement,’ which is enabled by default. Despite its name, this feature has raised concerns among users.
What ‘Privacy-Preserving Ad Measurement’ Means
Mozilla, the parent company of Firefox, describes this new feature as an experiment aimed at creating a web standard for advertisers that relies less on cookies but still involves some form of tracking. The intention is to allow advertisers to gauge the success of their campaigns without compromising user privacy. Currently, advertisers use cookies and other trackers to gather extensive data about users, which violates privacy. Mozilla’s approach seeks to strike a balance by enabling ad measurement without identifying individual user activities.
The ‘privacy-preserving ad measurement’ feature allows sites to ask Firefox if users clicked on an ad and whether they performed a specific action, like making a purchase. Firefox encrypts, aggregates, and submits this data anonymously, hiding individual browsing activity while still providing feedback on ad performance. This approach is similar to features in Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox, although Google has faced regulatory challenges with its implementation.
Why You Should Disable This Feature
Despite Mozilla’s good intentions, enabling this feature by default is problematic. It technically shares user data with advertisers, even if in an anonymized form. The online advertising industry has a history of invasive tracking practices, often without user consent. Firefox should have given users the choice to opt into ad measurement rather than enabling it silently.
Given the availability of methods to block trackers and cookies without compromising privacy, there’s no need to share any data with advertisers. Users should have control over whether their data is tracked, and it’s advisable to disable this feature to maintain privacy.
How to Disable Ad Tracking in Firefox
To disable ‘privacy-preserving ad measurement’ in Firefox 128:
- Click the three-line menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down to the Website Advertising Preferences section.
- Disable Allow websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement.
By taking these steps, you can ensure your data remains private and prevent advertisers from tracking your activity.
