Why the ‘Do Not Track’ Feature Was Ineffective
Mozilla has decided to remove the “Do Not Track” setting from its Firefox browser, following its limited effectiveness in protecting user privacy. This feature, found in most browsers, sent requests to websites asking not to track users. However, websites were not obligated to honor the request, making the feature largely useless.
Worse, the signal unintentionally made users more identifiable to websites, enabling tracking instead of preventing it. Recognizing this, Apple removed the feature from Safari in 2019. Mozilla’s move highlights the failure of self-regulation in online privacy, signaling the need for more robust solutions.
TC