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Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

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Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#431

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I still don't use an ad blocker. I know all the arguments for ad blocking and I agree with many of them. I know what difference it makes in terms of performance and annoyance. But I just can't bring myself to indiscriminately block all ads, knowing how important they are as a funding source for the websites I use. There's only one thing that destroys privacy even more thoroughly than ad targeting: payment.

> There's only one thing that destroys privacy even more thoroughly than ad targeting: payment. I disagree with this. Maybe you can elaborate? If I am paying for a service then there is no incentive to mine my personal data for revenue. It's a mutually beneficial transaction. And there are plenty of ways to hide your personal information (even your name) when paying for something (e.g. using a service like privacy.co…

If you pay for a service there's every incentive to mine your data - you proved you have the money by paying for a service, thus your data is much more valuable comparing to Joe Schmuck who doesn't pay.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#432

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why don't you stop accusing me of things I never said and never remotely intended to imply? I'm not accusing you of anything either. I wasn't thinking for a moment that you were trying to sell me something or that you were shilling. It's a simple disagreement. I'm unconvinced by the case you're making for specific alternatives. That doesn't mean I'm happy with the status quo. You have said absolutely nothing to show…

The only problem is that your default position is to keep accepting the status quo. Looking into any alternative is a free option. It doesn't cost you anything and you can always go back to the default position if it doesn't satisfy you. So, if you are not happy with the status quo, just try the alternative (any alternative!) and see for yourself where its limitations and problems are. > The authorities are extremely…

I'm not saying that the status quo is better than all imaginable alternatives. I'm saying it's better than the alternatives that are effective and widely available right now.

In my view, the status quo of ad funding is very annoying and somewhat harmful, but it is far less harmful than the app store model, which is pure oppression.

That's why I tend to be sceptical of any new scheme that once again puts someone in a gatekeeper role.

With regard to any widespread rollout of cryptocurrencies for anonymous payments you're going to have to accept that I'm pessimistic. You can call it FUD all day long. That's just aggressive rhetoric that adds nothing to the debate.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#433

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, Firefox is slower for me on certain pages. I keep Chrome installed for things like Google Docs. For example, in the word processor, it tries to save the document every few keystrokes and Firefox will hang for 5-10 seconds whereas on Chrome it's so fast it isn't noticeable.

Firefox developers welcome Bugzilla bug reports for slow site performance. Attaching a performance profile from the Firefox Profiler will make the bug more likely to get traction. Instructions for installing the the Firefox Profiler: https://profiler.firefox.com/ Google Docs performance is a long-standing issue, but it sounds like you're seeing an unusual problem. (I usually have 10-20 Google Docs tabs open all day i…

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to submit a bug report for a long-standing issue.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#434

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> already includes many of these Make sure you turn them on though! Firefox by default doesn't block canvas fingerprinting, that's a setting you need to enable in `about:config` under the `privacy.resistFingerprinting` section.

I used privacy.resistFingerprinting until I realized that was the reason websites were displaying times incorrectly, as they receive the default timezone value of UTC - [0] - and I couldn't find a way around it. [0] https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1330890

That's a feature, not a bug. Your time zone is one of the ways you can be fingerprinted.

That said, it wouldn't hurt to split it out into a different about:config preference. I'd probably disable it since I don't use a vpn so my time zone can be deduced from my IP anyway.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#435
post #388

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Protip #3: when all else fails, they will use your IP address to target you. E.g. I usually use Firefox with NoScript. I frequently exit Firefox; when I do I clear everything using "Clear history when Firefox closes". When I want to visit a site that requires JavaScript I switch to Safari. I'm just as aggressive in Safari in clearing my history. Consequently, about the only ads I do see (in Safari) are clothing ads f…

Protip #4: I use Forget Me Now to whitelist sites I want to save cookies for after closing tabs. You'd be surprised how few websites you actually need to save cookies for. I thought it would be way more hassle than it ended up being.

Yeah. I use Temporary Containers to do the same (with permanent containers as my whitelist). I also have 3rd party cookies blocked entirely. Recently I also set uMatrix to block 1st party cookies. Yes, I need to re-enable them relatively often, but I've been surprised at how often I simply don't need them.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#436

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only problem is that your default position is to keep accepting the status quo. Looking into any alternative is a free option. It doesn't cost you anything and you can always go back to the default position if it doesn't satisfy you. So, if you are not happy with the status quo, just try the alternative (any alternative!) and see for yourself where its limitations and problems are. > The authorities are extremely…

I'm not saying that the status quo is better than all imaginable alternatives. I'm saying it's better than the alternatives that are effective and widely available right now. In my view, the status quo of ad funding is very annoying and somewhat harmful, but it is far less harmful than the app store model, which is pure oppression. That's why I tend to be sceptical of any new scheme that once again puts someone in a…

"Annoying and somewhat harmful" does not even begin to describe the problem of the ad-based economy.

It's not that hard to make the argument that the moment that it became normal for websites to rely solely on ads for its revenue was the moment that we subverted a lot of our cultural institutions.

It's not that hard to make the argument that the rise of populism and extremist politics is rooted in this "eyeballs is all that matter" mentality for publishers.

It's not that hard to make the argument that ad-tech is making so many people addicted to our tech gadgets that its damage to the general public health is going to make Tobacco companies look innocent by comparison.

If that is not enough for you, take the amount of fraud and the amount of money that goes from advertisers to the pockets of the big ad companies and I hope you realize how ineffective it is.

> That's why I tend to be skeptical of any new scheme that once again puts someone in a gatekeeper role.

We are going in circles now. Again, there is nothing about Brave and its ad network that can not be replicated by any one that decides to compete with them. It's not like an "app store". The ads are optional, you joining the rewards program is optional. If for some reason someone else decides to create a competing ad network, it could run either as a fork or an extension. I fail to see what is so potentially evil that they can do that is worse than the evil that is currently done by the status quo.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#437
post #405
post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Protip #2, for what cant be traced using conventional methods, they will use fingerprinting and those add-ons take care about most common methods of fingerprinting - canvas, webgl, fonts and audio: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/canvas-finger... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/webgl-fingerp... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/font-fingerpr... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-…

I'm using vivaldi, and it seems that https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dont-fingerprint-m... extension is able to block most of the fingerprinting attempts. If you guys know about better "plug-in" solution, please let me know. I don't want to sacrifice basic comfort of browsing though, like disabling .js, wiping everything on browser restart or diddling with uMatrix on every website.

I made a nicely written comment, then accidentally deleted it, so here's the super pithy version with examples omitted, since I don't want to retype on my phone.

I use uMatrix with strict defaults for privacy. I agree diddling is annoying. I find diddling with sites more annoying.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#439
post #192
post #173

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Hi! We at Mozilla certainly don't see that! I'm at 815 tabs in this window alone and switching is instantaneous. Did you happen to file a bug report about this atypical behavior?

Hey Mozilla Employee, Could you guys please add a feature where any link opened from within a container opens in the same container category? (Like if i'm in Personal, I stay in Personal unless I explictly opt-out)? It's such a pain to constantly right-click and open tabs. Thanks :)

That is the default behavior. Looks like you changed something in the settings.

Open the extension, click on 'Personal' and deselect 'Limit to designated sites'

PS: You can ctrl+click on the 'plus' button on the tab bar to open a new tab in the current container.

Re: Latest Firefox rolls out Enhanced Tracking Protection 2.0

#440
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you use uBlock Origin , go to My Filters and add this https://pastebin.com/M6Jah286

That will probably break google maps and many other things. Just add this: google.*##+js(set, rwt, noopFunc)

Hmmm.. I've been using Google Maps with that filter for over 6 months.

What is breaking/supposed to break? I might have to remove the filters from all my machines.

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