In a surprising move set to shake up the online privacy landscape, Mozilla has announced that the upcoming release of Firefox 135, scheduled for February 4, 2025, will no longer include the Do Not Track (DNT) feature. This decision comes after the feature was already removed in the nightly developer builds of the browser.

The intention behind the DNT toggle was to allow users to communicate their privacy preferences to websites. However, Mozilla highlighted a critical flaw in the DNT concept: its optional nature has meant that very few websites reliably honor this request. As a result, the feature has been largely ineffective in protecting user privacy. According to Mozilla, “Many sites do not respect this indication of a person's privacy preferences, and, in some cases, it can reduce privacy.”

Users are encouraged to transition to the newer Global Privacy Control (GPC) feature, designed to provide clearer guidelines for data protection and privacy. GPC addresses many of the shortcomings of DNT and is part of a broader movement toward stronger privacy standards supported by different entities, including Mozilla, Brave, and DuckDuckGo.

The introduction of GPC comes at a time when legislative measures, particularly California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), are shaping online privacy practices. These regulations compel companies to respect user privacy choices, making GPC a more viable tool than DNT, which lacked standardization and implementation due to industry pushback.

However, caution is warranted as there is no guarantee that companies will comply with GPC either, especially since it operates on a similar premise to DNT—expressing user preferences through an HTTP header. Additionally, while popular privacy-focused browsers are adopting GPC, major players like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge do not support the feature natively, which could impede its effectiveness for a large number of users.

In light of these developments, privacy-minded individuals may want to take proactive steps beyond relying on built-in browser features. Utilizing browser extensions like Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin, or employing a VPN service, can provide enhanced protection against unwanted tracking and data collection.

As the digital world becomes increasingly interconnected, understanding and taking control of one’s online privacy has never been more critical. With significant shifts like this taking place, staying informed and proactive is essential for users who want to safeguard their personal information. Don't miss out on essential updates—your privacy might depend on it!