Firefox for Android completely bans cookies: here’s how to benefit from it


Over the years, Firefox has always been the browser I turn to when I need a super level of security on my computer. While it doesn’t offer the levels of security and anonymity of the Tor browser, it doesn’t suffer from the network slowdowns that Tor often falls prey to, and it’s certainly not as insecure as Chrome.

Free and open source, Mozilla Firefox is the most popular cross-platform web browser. Light, fast and customizable with the many extensions available, it is available on computers and on smartphones and tablets.

  • Downloads: 213
  • Release date : 03/14/2023
  • Author : Mozilla Foundation
  • Licence : Free software
  • Categories:
    Internet
  • Operating system : Android – Linux – Windows 32 bit – XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 – Windows 64 bit – XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 – Windows Portable – XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 – iOS iPhone / iPad – macOS

One of the features that makes Firefox more secure than other browsers is Total Cookie Protection. This feature was added to the open source browser a while ago and did a great job of protecting me against cookies.

What is Total Cookie Protection? Basically, it creates what Mozilla calls a “cookie box” for every website you visit. When you visit a website that contains third-party content and would normally inject a cookie into your browser, Firefox confines that cookie to that website’s “cookie box”. By doing so, no website cookie can interact with another, thus preventing cookies from reading other cookies from other sites. This greatly reduces the amount of information a company is able to collect about you. And that, my friends, is a good thing.

Full cookie protection is enabled by default on the Firefox desktop browser. You can disable it from Settings > Privacy > Security > Custom, but I do not advise you to do so. Because this feature does a great job of protecting against cross-site tracking and information harvesting.

No one should allow such tracking through their desktop web browser, and now you don’t have to worry about it on your mobile device, because Mozilla has added Total Cookie Protection to the Android version of their browser.

Take that, Google.

If you needed a reason to ditch the Chrome browser on Android, now you have it. With the addition of Total Cookie Protection on the Android version of Firefox, you can finally enjoy the same level of protection as on your computer.

Even better, like on desktop, Total Cookie Protection is enabled by default on the Android version of Firefox. The only thing you need to do is install the open source web browser on your device. Since this installation is done from the Google Play Store, it is not only easy, but also safe.

If Firefox is already installed on your device, you should immediately go to the Google Play Store and check if there is an update for the browser. Make sure to use at least version 110.1.0.

How to locate the version of Firefox on your device

The Firefox popup menu on Android 13.

Accessing the Firefox settings page in Android 13. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET.

The About Firefox page in Android 13.

If you have version 110.1.0 or higher, you have full cookie protection. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET.

Even if you don’t pay attention to this stuff, it’s important for you to understand that cross-site cookie protection is actually important. If you value your privacy and security, I highly recommend switching from Chrome to Firefox as your default Android browser.

Total Cookie Protection takes your protection against third parties who use (and misuse) information about you through your mobile web browser seriously.

Source: ZDNet.com





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