Mozilla Rolls Out Firefox Version 42.0 With New ‘Tracking Protection’ Feature And More

Mozilla, on Tuesday, rolled out version 42.0 of its Firefox browser which features a revamped private browsing mode with new 'Tracking Protection' feature.

According to Mozilla, the new 'Tracking Protection' feature is designed to block web elements including ads, tracking cookies and social sharing buttons that track users' online browsing behavior without their knowledge across websites and then shares the same information with third parties, reported ZDNet.

"Private Browsing with Tracking Protection in Firefox for Windows, Mac, Android and Linux actively blocks content like ads, analytics trackers and social share buttons that may record your behavior without your knowledge across sites," Mozilla said on a support page.

The feature is being added to the Private Browsing mode that was first introduced in Firefox 3.1, released in 2008. The basic idea with Private Browsing mode is that a user's browsing history and session cookies are not retained once the browser is closed.

Mozilla reckons that Firefox is currently the only browser that gives users complete control over their personal data.

"With the release of Tracking Protection in Firefox Private Browsing we are leading the industry by giving you control over the data that third parties receive from you online. No other browser's Private Browsing mode protects you the way Firefox does-not Chrome, not Safari, not Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer, "said Mozilla VP Nick Nguyen while introducing the feature in a blog post.

Firefox version 42.0 also includes a new Control Center which includes all site security and privacy controls in a single place in the address bar, reported the Macobserver.

 There's also indicator for tabs that play audio, support for IPV6 and other WebRTC technologies, new visual editing tools in Firefox Developer Edition including animation tools, HTML5 support, changes to Firefox's Login Manager and a few other bug fixes.

Private Browsing with Tracking Protection is available on Firefox for Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. For users who don't need Tracking Protection, they can turn off the feature from Settings -> Privacy.

Firefox 42 for the desktop is currently available for download on Firefox.com and the Android version on Google Play.