Firefox's Quantum update will block websites from tracking you 24/7
Mozilla's speedy Firefox Quantum browser hit the ground running when it rolled out in November.
On Tuesday, Mozilla released an update to the browser, called Firefox 58. Its most significant feature: 24/7 tracking protection.
The Firefox browser was one of the first to introduce tracking protection in 2015. The feature, when enabled, aggressively blocked ads, analytics trackers, and social share buttons that record user behavior on websites.
Previously, you needed to be using Private Browsing (Firefox's equivalent of Chrome's Incognito Windows) to enable Tracking Protection. But once you download today's update, you can enable Tracking Protection to always be on, regardless of browsing mode.
To turn on 24/7 Tracking Protection, open "Preferences," click "Privacy and Security," and then select "Always" under "Tracking Protection."
Mozilla also claims that web pages load more quickly when trackers are disabled. So even if you're not afraid of websites' snooping, you should still give this browser a chance.
"Historically, we haven't allowed users to turn on Tracking Protection in regular windows, largely because we were concerned that sites would break as a result of the feature being on," a Mozilla spokesperson told Mashable in an email. "However, we have since studied breakage that happens as a result of Tracking Protection, and we're now confident that the vast majority of sites still continue to function with Tracking Protection turned on. So, we've decided to give users the option to enable Tracking Protection, so that they are better empowered to protect their privacy at all times."
Topics Cybersecurity Google Innovations
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
