Mozilla releases Firefox 86 with new ‘Total Cookie Protection’ to improve users privacy

Mozilla has introduced a new privacy update on its Firefox 86 browser ‘Total Cookie Protection’ to prevent web tracking across third-party websites. The new privacy update will confine cookies to the site where they are created that will stop trackers from monitoring users’ activity from site to site.

Cookies are morsels of data that are stored by browsers usually for targeted advertising. However, as these cookies are shared between websites, this technology can become a privacy vulnerability and be used by miscreants to “spy” on users’ activity across the web. Mozilla is a strong advocate for the protection of user’s privacy. After supporting Apple’s new iOS ATT privacy feature, the company has improved privacy on its own platform.

In 2019, Firefox introduced Enhanced Tracking Protection by default, blocking cookies from companies that have been identified as trackers by our partners at Disconnect. But we wanted to take protections to the next level and create even more comprehensive protections against cookie-based tracking to ensure that no cookies can be used to track you from site to site as you browse the web.

Mozilla launches new privacy ‘Total Cookie Protection’ on Firefox 86 browser to prevent tracking across the web

As illustrated in the shared image, the browser will now create individual cookies for all visited websites, instead of giving access to all embedded cookies to all websites. And the browser will only allow cross-site cookies when they are used for “non-tracking purposes”.

Total Cookie Protection, works by maintaining a separate “cookie jar” for each website you visit. Any time a website, or third-party content embedded in a website, deposits a cookie in your browser, that cookie is confined to the cookie jar assigned to that website, such that it is not allowed to be shared with any other website.

In addition, Total Cookie Protection makes a limited exception for cross-site cookies when they are needed for non-tracking purposes, such as those used by popular third-party login providers. Only when Total Cookie Protection detects that you intend to use a provider, will it give that provider permission to use a cross-site cookie specifically for the site you’re currently visiting. Such momentary exceptions allow for strong privacy protection without affecting your browsing experience.

Mozilla Firefox 86 is compatible with desktop and mobile devices. Click here to download the browser on your preferred device.