Firefox 86 introduced users to a new standard of private browsing thanks to its total cookie protection feature, but one problem the browser has been facing since 2015 is its built-in "Content Blocking" feature which can cause several websites to break. Well, that's about to change.
Mozilla \launched Firefox 87 with a new intelligent tracker blocking mechanism that lets you privately browse the web without breaking web pages. Using Firefox to surf the web may sound a touch more enticing for Chrome and Edge users.
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Firefox 87's SmartBlock
Now available for Macs, Windows, and Linux, the browser update brings SmartBlock, a new feature that fixes up web pages that are broken when using Firefox's Private Browsing windows and Strict Mode.
Previously, Firefox's tracking protections would completely block third-party scripts, images, and other content. However, some websites require these tracking components from cross-site tracking companies to function — otherwise, you'll encounter problems from images not appearing, to web pages refusing to load.
SmartBlock changes that, as the new privacy feature can provide "local stand-ins for blocked third-party tracking scripts."
"The SmartBlock stand-ins are bundled with Firefox: no actual third-party content from the trackers are loaded at all, so there is no chance for them to track you this way. And, of course, the stand-ins themselves do not contain any code that would support tracking functionality," the Mozilla blog post notes.
There you have it. With Firefox fixing its content blocker issue, those who value privacy while surfing the web may want to give the underdog browser a go. Even better, the SmartBlock feature will apparently have more in store, according to the post.
What's another way to keep anonymous while browsing the web? Using a VPN, of course. If you're looking for the right one to choose from, we've picked out the best VPN services worth every penny.
