Firefox's new security update ensures that Facebook and other online websites can't track you while browsing them.
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A screen displays the logo of the open-source web browser Firefox on July 31, 2009, in London, as the software edges towards it's billionth download within the next twenty four hours. First released in 2004, the browser currently holds around 31 % of the market share with Microsoft's Internet Explorer dominating the field with 60 %.
As of writing, many people still prefer using Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge as their main browsers.
But, the new Query Parameter Stripping is expected to change this since a lot of users also want to surf the internet without being tracked.
This new security update was released after the Mozilla Firefox 102 version was launched on Tuesday, June 28. Now, here's how the new Query Parameter Stripping works.
How Firefox's New Security Feature Works
According to Engadget's latest report, Firefox's new security feature works by removing the character strings at the end of a website's URL.
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A pupil uses a laptop computer during a english lesson at the Ridings Federation Winterbourne International Academy in Winterbourne near Bristol on February 26, 2015 in South Gloucestershire, England. Education, along with National Health Service and the economy are likely to be key election issues in the forthcoming general election in May.
Also Read: Mozilla Firefox New Update FIXES Two Actively Exploited Bugs
For example, if you are visiting a website and have this URL "https://www.example.com/?fbclid=IwAR4HesRZLT-fxhhh3nZ7WKsOpaiFzsg4nH0K4WLRHw1h467GdRjaLilWbLs," then the new URL should only be "https://www.example.com/."
Thanks to Firefox's Query Parameter Stripping feature, "?fbclid=IwAR4HesRZLT-fxhhh3nZ7WKsOpaiFzsg4nH0K4WLRHw1h467GdRjaLilWbLs" can be removed, allowing you to access the website without being tracked.
If you are interested in using the new feature of the Firefox browser, you can follow the steps below.
How To Use Firefox's New Feature?
Bleeping Computer provided a simple guide on how to activate Firefox's Query Parameter Stripping enhancement. Here are the exact steps you can follow:
- First, you need to visit your Firefox browser's Settings. Then choose the Privacy and Security option.
- After that, you must change the "Enhanced Tracking Protection" option to "Strict."
Of course, the tracking parameters will not be removed if you use the Primate Mode of Firefox. But, you can follow the steps below to activate the Query Parameter Stripping on Private Mode as well:
- First, enter "about:config" on your address bar.
- Then, search for strip and set the "privacy.query_stripping.enabled.pbmode" to "true."
- Once you follow all the steps above, then Firefox's new security feature should work on the normal browser and the Private Mode.
In August 2021, Firefox 91 received new enhancements for clearing cookies.
In October 2021, Firefox 93 launched a new browsing security feature, which protects users when tabs crash.
For more news updates about Firefox and its upcoming enhancements, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: Total Cookie Protection is Now a Default for All Mozilla Firefox Users
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Written by: Griffin Davis
