Mozilla is currently working on a feature that allows Firefox to automatically block cookie consent banners.
Since the entry into force of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, consent banners have proliferated on the web. These banners ask users to accept or refuse the deposit of cookies on their computer.
What are cookies?
Note that cookies are small files saved on the browser to be able to identify the user through their sessions and thus monitor their browsing habits. Although the GDPR has mandated transparency in the management and processing of personal data collected by websites, this system can be tedious on a daily basis, forcing users to repeat their choice for each site visited. To overcome this, many tools and extensions have been created to automatically remove or accept cookie banners.
However, Mozilla wants to go further by integrating a feature in Firefox that will automatically reject requests to deposit cookies to reduce the frequency of these banners.
Mozilla recently tested a new feature called “Cookie Banner Reduction” in its Firefox Nightly developer version to address the issue of consent banners. This feature aims to automatically refuse requests to deposit cookies from cookie banners on compatible sites, without requiring user interaction. However, “cookie Banner Reduction” is currently only available in the beta version of Firefox.
Although users can already remove cookie banners using already existing extensions and tools, the new feature in Firefox could make the process even easier. Additionally, it would bring Firefox in line with other web browsers such as Brave, which introduced a similar feature a few months ago.
With “Cookie Banner Reduction”, users will enjoy a smoother and safer online experience. This feature is proof that Mozilla is constantly working to improve its web browser to better satisfy its users. It is therefore possible that further improvements will be made to Firefox in the near future.
When will “Cookie Banner Reduction” be available on the stable version of Firefox?
For now, the “Cookie Banner Reduction” feature is only available in the experimental version of Firefox, called Firefox Nightly. Users may therefore have to wait a few weeks or even months before the functionality is available in the stable version.
Nevertheless, this feature represents a significant step forward in protecting the privacy of Firefox users, who will now be able to browse the web without being confronted with repetitive cookie banners.
