Firefox update stops Facebook from stalking you -- here's how

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Nobody likes a stalker, Firefox has come up with a way to keep Facebook and others from following you around on the internet

Firefox update stops Facebook from stalking you -- here's how
(Image credit: Future)

Mozilla's latest Firefox update comes with a new privacy feature that will block sites like Facebook from tracking you as you cruise the internet. Mozilla's Firefox 102 strips specific criteria from URLs that can be used to follow you as you journey through your daily web browsing. 

Facebook is the most well-known culprit, but several other well-known internet stalkers like HubSpot, Marketo, and Olytics use custom-designed URL query criteria to track links you click on to keep an eye on your activities and interests. It's invasive, and most do not realize these URL queries are stalking them. I tend to always use a VPN from our list of best VPN services, but I am considering downloading Firefox to take advantage of this new privacy feature. 

Facebook will append a fbclid query parameter to outbound links to track what you're clicking on. So for example, if you clicked on a link to go to www.whateverstore.com, Facebook ( and others) will add "/?fbclid=IwAR4HesRZLT-fxhhh3nZ7WKsOpaiFzsg4nH0K4WLRHw1h467GdRjaLilWbLs" to the backend of that URL and use that to follow you around. 

So what Mozilla has done in its latest update is add a Query Parameter Stripping feature that instantaneously strips those query parameters that are being used to stalk your browsing activities. 

If you currently use Firefox, all you have to do is go into settings, enable "strict" in the Privacy and Security settings to enable this feature. Now, if you tend to browse in Private Mode, you need to type "about:config" in the address bar, searching for strip, and setting the 'privacy.query_stripping.enabled.pbmode' option to true" which is based on the advice from our pals at Bleeping Computer. 

Internet security is a serious issue these days, whether you're using your laptop or using your phone. You should check out our best anttivirus apps  of 2022 to ensure you're keeping yourself safe.

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.