14 DAY TRIAL // Mozilla is making the first step towards implementing a global "do no track" feature in Firefox which would enable users to tell websites and advertising networks not to track their behavior or collect any data. Google is also said to be revealing a similar move later today.
"As the first of many steps, we are proposing a feature that allows users to set a browser preference that will broadcast their desire to opt-out of third party, advertising-based tracking by transmitting a Do Not Track HTTP header with every click or page view in Firefox," Alex Fowler, Mozilla's global privacy and public policy leader, wrote.
At this point, it is merely a proposal for the Firefox developers and community who will discuss how to implement it. Mozilla is also submitting a technical proposal for the feature. Even if it gets approved, there are no guarantees that it will be ready in time for Firefox 4.0.
In practice, Firefox would have a "Do Not Track" option, disabled by default, which will enable users to opt-out of targeted advertising.
If the option is selected, Firefox will send a "Do Not Track" HTTP header to websites to indicate that the users have chosen to not have their actions used for tracking or targeted advertising.
This method does not enforce any measure from websites which will have to decide on their own to follow the users' requests or not. Mozilla hopes that it can get sites to cooperate and believes this approach is fair to both users and advertisers.
"When the feature is enabled and users turn it on, web sites will be told by Firefox that a user would like to opt-out of OBA. We believe the header-based approach has the potential to be better for the web in the long run because it is a clearer and more universal opt-out mechanism than cookies or blacklists," Fowler explained.
There have been several proposals and some early implementations of other methods to avoid targeted ads. Some networks enable users to opt-out. The upcoming Internet Explorer 9 will enable users to block some ad networks, but they have to compile the list themselves.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal says that Google is providing a solution as well and it is expected to reveal a "Keep My Opt-Outs" tool for Chrome, most likely an extension, that will enable them to opt-out of targeted ads from "dozens" of companies.