Mozilla launches ‘Total Cookie Protection’ with Firefox 86 for Mac

Mozilla has launched its latest privacy feature today with Firefox 86 for Mac, Windows, Linux, and more called “Total Cookie Protection.” The new privacy option creates separate cookie jars for every website you visit to prevent cross-site tracking.

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Mozilla detailed the new Firefox feature on its Security blog today:

Our new feature, 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.

The new security feature is part of Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) Strict mode. But there is support for cross-site tracking exceptions:

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.

Total Cookie Protection comes after Mozilla launched Supercookie Protections back in January with Firefox 85. The nonprofit says “Together these features prevent websites from being able to “tag” your browser, thereby eliminating the most pervasive cross-site tracking technique.”

For a technical breakdown of how Total Cookie Protection works, you can read Mozilla’s developer document here.

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Firefox is a free download for Mac (Windows, Linux, Chrombook, too).

Apple includes cross-site tracking prevention in Safari for Mac and iOS that first arrived with macOS Mojave and iOS 12. And of course since then, Apple has moved to further restrict device tracking with the upcoming Ad Tracking Transparency feature launching on iOS 14 in “early spring.”