![\"Priavacy](\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2018\/01\/Fx_Blog_Privacy_Protection.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSay you stop by the pharmacy for some floss, then later, at dinner, the waiter tries to sell you gingivitis treatment. That\u2019s what online ads can be like, and here\u2019s how to stop them.<\/p>\n
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Many of your favorite sites keep track of what you do online. They may do it to understand if you’re interested in a particular article, item or activity. They may do it to make your experience of their site easier. They may also track you so they can try to sell you things.<\/p>\n
Online ads can be customized on the fly based on what you do. Been searching for a new pair of Chucks? Mega Shoe Company has a great deal for you. To serve those custom ads at just the right time, the shoe company needs to know where you go online. Is that bad? Some argue that customized (targeted) ads are much better than traditional billboards or radio spots. At least with targeted ads, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ve been looking for what they\u2019re selling. But you may not want companies following you around the web.<\/p>\n
Most sites track you with cookies\u2014bits of code stored in your browser. In the past, cookies were used to customize websites, keep track of shopping carts and maintain security when logged into an online account, but today most are used to help companies serve targeted ads.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how it works: You visit a site, a third-party advertiser leaves a \u00a0cookie on your browser. The cookie is your unique identifier. Details about what you do from that point on can be stored on remote servers. That includes information about your visit, which might include what you viewed, your language preference, how long you were on the site, the time you visited the site and if you clicked on any advertisements. When you\u2019re out surfing around the web looking for hats, targeted ads know what you\u2019ve been looking for and can serve up the latest deals on berets or alert you to special sales or discounts on things you might buy.<\/p>\n
Cookies can also help advertisers serve you custom ads in your social media feeds. Social sites have their own tracking schemes based on what you click, and they\u2019re far more robust. They can track everything you do with precision\u2014every click, post, and comment is logged on a server. In addition, cookies can reveal what you\u2019ve been doing online to a social site, which is why some ads will follow you into social media walled gardens.<\/p>\n
Private browsing deletes cookies when you close the browser window and doesn\u2019t track history. In Firefox, private browsing also blocks tracking cookies by default.<\/p>\n
Tracking protection stops companies from following you around the web, but saves your browsing history. Tracking Protection<\/a> is available in Firefox Quantum. It uses a list of tracking sites compiled by Disconnect.me<\/a>. Whenever your browser calls a site on the list, Tracking Protection blocks it.<\/p>\n The Firefox Multi-Account Containers<\/a> add-on isn\u2019t technically a form of private browsing and tracking protection, but it can help keep companies from knowing everything you do online. It lets you open fresh, cookie-free tabs that can be used for different accounts\u2014personal, work, shopping, etc. That means you can use Multi-Account Containers to open several Google accounts at once without any overlap. Most trackers won\u2019t associate the different accounts, keeping your work life separate from your personal life online. Some more advanced trackers, however, can and will track you across different accounts, so beware.<\/p>\n Using tracking protection and private browsing doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re up to no good. It could mean you want to keep different accounts (like work and personal) separate. You might also share a computer or device and you want to keep things to yourself. Or perhaps you\u2019re shopping for a surprise birthday present and you don\u2019t want a targeted ad to blow your cover. Perhaps you want to see unfiltered search results. Or maybe you just want to limit the amount of data that a ton of companies collect about you. That\u2019s just fine.<\/p>\n Private browsing and tracking protection prevent some ad networks from tracking your online activity, but you still leave tracks wherever you go on the web. One way to get added protection is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service<\/a>. VPN services route traffic through remote servers, so it looks like you\u2019re browsing from another location or multiple locations. VPN providers can track your search history, though, so it\u2019s good to find a company you can trust to either delete or lock up your browsing activity. VPNs won\u2019t block third-party cookies from advertisers, but those cookies won\u2019t be able to identify your location accurately, making it difficult or impossible for ad trackers to be effective.<\/p>\nMulti-Account Containers<\/b><\/h4>\n
Why would you use tracking protection or private browsing? <\/b><\/h3>\n
Is private browsing truly Private? <\/b><\/h3>\n