Over the past decade, many of us have witnessed the gradual erosion of privacy standards, as once-controversial practices have slowly become normalized. If you share concerns about this trend, you’ll be disappointed to learn that Mozilla is removing the ‘Do Not Track’ (DNT) privacy option in Firefox version 135. This change is already present in the Nightly developer release and will be included in the standard version when Firefox 135 is launched on February 4, 2025.
According to the Mozilla support page on the change (via The Register), the decision stems from the fact that many websites ignore the DNT request. The page states:
“Starting in Firefox version 135, the ‘Do Not Track’ checkbox will be removed. 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. 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.”
At first glance, Mozilla’s explanation may sound reasonable, but I believe this move reflects a broader, concerning trend—shifting privacy concerns from general issues to more specific, less effective solutions.
>>>RWFFJ for Dell XPS9640-7097SLV-PUS
The Role of ‘Do Not Track’ (DNT)
The DNT option is a request sent by browsers to websites, asking them not to track users. While websites are not legally obligated to comply with this request, it allows users to signal their privacy preferences in a simple, universal way without having to manually adjust settings for each individual site. The idea was that, even if websites ignored the DNT request, the practice of making such a request was important and could be enforced through legal means, depending on local privacy laws.
Critics argue that while most websites ignore DNT, this is more a problem of enforcement than of the DNT mechanism itself. For example, if you ask someone not to punch you in the face, and they repeatedly ignore that request, the issue isn’t with the request but with the lack of consequences for ignoring it. In this analogy, DNT is like that reasonable request for privacy, and the real problem lies with the failure to hold websites accountable for ignoring it.
The Global Privacy Control (GPC) as a Replacement
Mozilla suggests that users can now rely on the Global Privacy Control (GPC) as a replacement for DNT. The GPC is an opt-out mechanism built into certain browsers that signals to websites that users do not want their data sold or shared. Mozilla claims that GPC is respected by more websites and is backed by legislation in some regions, making it a more reliable privacy solution.
However, while GPC has shown some promise, it is not without its own limitations. The transition from DNT to GPC may not be as seamless as Mozilla suggests. The GPC is still relatively new, and it remains to be seen how consistently websites will adopt and respect this new standard. Moreover, the switch to GPC risks narrowing the scope of user privacy concerns—shifting from a broad, universal request to a more specific, limited one.
A Narrower Focus on Privacy
The shift from DNT to GPC marks a narrowing of focus in how we approach privacy. Whereas DNT allowed for a general request that websites respect users’ privacy preferences, GPC is much more specific—it’s about stopping the sale and sharing of data, rather than preventing all forms of tracking. This shift could be seen as a move toward addressing a particular aspect of privacy while overlooking broader issues, such as the tracking of users for targeted advertising.
This is not to say that GPC is inherently ineffective, but it highlights the trend toward making privacy a more fragmented issue, focusing on specific actions rather than a more comprehensive, user-centric approach. By removing DNT, Mozilla may be inadvertently signaling that the fight for privacy is narrowing, and that the broader issue of digital tracking is becoming less of a priority.
>>>7DWMT for Dell Precision M4600 M4700 M4800 M6600 M6700 M6800
Conclusion
The removal of DNT could signal a troubling shift in how privacy concerns are addressed, with broader issues being sidelined in favor of more specific, limited measures. For users who care about their online privacy, this move should be seen as a step backward—one that undermines the effort to create a truly user-focused and comprehensive privacy standard.