The forthcoming Firefox 13.5 will not include a ‘do not track’ option, as the opt-out request is ignored by most websites
Mozilla is making a notable change to its free and open source web browser, Firefox, due to the privacy option being ignored by most websites today.
On its ‘Do Not Track’ (DNT) support webpage, Mozilla revealed that Firefox 13.5 (slated for release in February 2025) will not include the DNT toggle from its Privacy and Security settings.
Firefox has been one of a few mainstream browsers that has tightly focused on protecting a user’s privacy over the years. As far back as 2016 Mozilla warned that tracking protection would be added to all products.
Do Not Track
Indeed, since 2015 Mozilla has operated Firefox’s Track Protection, which are aimed at blocking website elements that track user activity.
But unfortunately, it seems that most modern websites are no longer respecting ‘Do Not Track’ requests from users.
“Starting in Firefox version 135, the “Do Not Track” checkbox will be removed,” Mozilla stated. “Many sites do not respect this indication of a person’s privacy preferences, and, in some cases, it can reduce privacy.”
“If you wish to ask websites to respect your privacy, you can use the ‘Tell websites not to sell or share my data’ setting,” it added. “This option is built on top of the Global Privacy Control (GPC). GPC is respected by increasing numbers of sites and enforced with legislation in some regions. To learn more about this, please read Global Privacy Control.”
Currently web browsers such as Firefox, DuckDuckGo and a few others offer GPC toggles. But mainstream browsers such as Google Chrome nor Microsoft Edge support the option (unless a browser extension is installed).
DNT not honoured
“Firefox lets you tell websites that you do not want them to track your browsing behaviour,” said Mozilla.
But it pointed out that major websites often do not honour this.
“Firefox has a Do Not Track feature that lets you tell every website you visit, their advertisers, and content providers that you don’t want your browsing behaviour tracked,” Mozilla wrote. “Honouring this setting is voluntary – individual websites are not required to respect it.”
“Websites that do honour this setting should automatically stop tracking your behaviour without any further action from you,” it said. “Turning on this feature will not affect your ability to log in to websites nor cause Firefox to forget your private information, such as the contents of shopping carts, location information or login information.”
It said users may see less relevant advertising on websites if they have the Do Not Track option activated.
Firefox’s Do Not Track feature is turned off by default, except in Private Windows, where it is always on by default.
Users can always use Do Not Track by clicking on the menu button and select settings, and opt for the Privacy & Security panel.