How do I turn on the Do Not Track feature?

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Firefox 4 and higher has a feature to inform websites not to track your usage across the web. You can turn this feature on by selecting "Tell web sites I do not want to be tracked" in the Firefox options window. This article describes what tracking is and how this feature works.

What is tracking?

Tracking is a general term encompassing a variety of techniques that websites, advertisers and other entities use to learn about the websites you visit and what you do there. In particular, tracking is often done by advertising networks who present ads on many different sites. By logging the sites you visit and what actions you take on them, these ad companies are able to build a highly specific profile based your browsing activities including shopping preferences, demographic information, likes and dislikes. This profile allows them to present advertising targeted to you specifically. They can also combine their knowledge of you with their understanding of other people to build algorithms that allow more effective marketing of products and services to users like you.

How does the Do-not-track feature work?

When you turn on the Do-not-track feature, Firefox tells every website you visit (as well as advertisers and resources used by those sites) that you do not wish to be tracked. As this is a rather new feature, most sites have yet to implement steps, based on this information. However, Firefox is providing this option, so that on one side users can opt out of tracking if they wish to do so and on the other side sites, who are ready to listen to their visitors and their wishes, will be able to comply.

Turning on Do-not-track does not affect your ability to log into websites, nor does it cause Firefox to forget your private information - such as contents of shopping carts, location information or login information - about the sites involved.

You may see less relevant advertising on websites, if you have the Do-not-track option activated.

How do I turn on or off the Do-not-track feature?

You can set down your preferences in the Options window as follows:

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  • Select the Advanced panel.

Options window - Advanced panel - Do not track

  • Check or clear the option indicated above according to your preferences.
  • The template "CloseOptionsPreferences" does not exist or has no approved revision.