|
from The Privacy Times
Firefox, the popular Internet browser made by Mozilla, has drawn a testy, almost near-panicked rebuke from the Interactive Advertising Bureau for Firefox’s new policy allowing users to block third-party cookies, effectively cutting off ad networks’ ability to track users.
Mike Zaneis, the IAB’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel tweeted that Mozilla’s new policy was nothing less than “a nuclear first strike against the ad industry.” His lashing out reflected the behavior ad industry’s fears that Firefox’s move to give users reasonable controls to slow tracking could put a crimp in the growing online behavioral advertising business.
Firefox will begin blocking the cookies from third-party ad networks by default beginning with distribution of Firefox version 22 on April 5. The browser would allow cookies from first party websites that users visit, according to Jonathan Mayer, a grad student at Stanford University who wrote the patch for Mozilla. Firefox’s new cookie policy is similar to Apple Safari, but “slightly relaxed,” Mayer said in a blog post.
Mayer said Google’s “Chrome” browser allows all cookies, while Microsoft Internet Explorer’s cookie permissions vary “by P3P compact policy,” adding, “In practice, almost all third-party tracking cookies are allowed.” Apple’s iPhone Safari permits first-party content and has cookie permissions. Third-party content only has cookie permissions if the content already has at least one cookie set. “In short, the new Firefox policy is a slightly relaxed version of the Safari policy,” he said.
Note: When posting a comment, please sign-in first if you want a response. If you are not registered, click here. Registration is easy and free.
Follow ACCESS   
|
Privacy Issues 
