Achoo22 :
Except Firefox tracks everything as well. Every single time they release an update, they add some new tracking junk that defaults to on. Telemetry, bad site warning, certificate double-checking, etc. etc.. Mozilla is completely without scruples when it comes to tracking.
There are two types of tracking ...1) that which occurs by the use of a particular program (specifically web browser, search engine ... and now with Windows 10, the OS itself) and 2) that which occurs as the result of coding on web sites themselves.
Google, most specifically the search engine, is is all about 1), with MS seeking to gain a share of that that market. I don't need an account to use FF features but google, youtube and other affiliated entities want me to maintain an "account". For what purpose ?
Google, Mozilla, IE and everyone else over the years hadn't done much about 2)
However, for quite some time now, Mozilla provided a tool that let's you see who is tracking you
http://collusion.toolness.org/
Are you suggesting the the Mozilla foundation themselves collects data and sells it to advertisers ? If you have evidence of such, I'd be most anxious to see it. Mozilla is not among the 104 (105) sites reported here:
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/im-being-followed-how-google-151-and-104-other-companies-151-are-tracking-me-on-the-web/253758/
Unlike Google, you won't find Mozilla on anybody's list of financial heavyweights. Mozilla doesn't track usage nor sell it.... However, like everyone else (other than 3rd party add-ons like Ghostery, etc) they didn't work very hard till recently, in stopping web sites from doing their own tracking. After getting pushed by the EFF and FTC, every web browser made token efforts to prevent tracking or at least make it look like they were.
Google came up with the "Keep my opt-outs" extension but but the ability of the extension to thwart online tracking efforts relied solely on the fox in the hen house approach allowing the advertising companies responsible for the tracking to be responsible for compliance. Mozilla started the no tracking efforts years ago (version 4) and initial efforts were not as effective as they might be as letting it basically let Web sites know that the user wished not to be tracked...but to be effective, the Web site has to 1) be paying attention and 2) choose to care. Now at version 43 the feature is much more effective
I don't see Google making a real effort to make this work as it is the antithesis of their entire business model; on the other hand, stopping those 104 other sites from tracking you so they can corner the market on the sale of this information is a wise business strategy.
Google's entire financial model is based upon tracking; that's how they make their money and how they became one of the largest / richest entities in the world (ranked 40 on Fortune 500). How is this happening if they are not selling tracking information ? What else can they sell ?
The EFF and FTC professed support Mozilla's efforts as well as the efforts of other browser vendors way back in version 4 of FF. And now they have doubled down on that endoresement.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/11/mozilla-ships-tracking-protection-firefox
The new Tracking Protection option in Firefox uses Disconnect's blacklist to block requests to known trackers. Sometimes this will stop invisible 'tracking pixels' or calls to analytics engines. More noticeably it will also block ads that are trying to track you around the Web. While Firefox isn't trying to take a strong stance on Web ads, we agree with them that as long as these ads are invading user privacy for profit, they don't deserve to be displayed.
EFF has it's own tool which recently (August 2015 IIRC) came out of beta.
https://www.eff.org/privacybadger
Just logging into THG home page on another page, it reported:
apis.google.com .... PB blocked this site from tracking me on THG home page
ads.servebom.com. .... PB observed this site tracking me on THG home page but, as yet, has taken no action.
FF's privacy features are not a complete solution, but a step. Just like AV programs don't provide complete protection against adware, malware and firewall threats, it's part of a complete solution.
Other articles on the FF privacy features ....
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tracking-protection-pbm
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3000859/browsers/mozilla-keeps-your-browsing-private-with-new-tracking-protection-feature.html
http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/03/firefox-tracking-protection-arrives/
http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-collaboration-apps/firefox-42-blocks-tracking-ads-enhances-private-browsing/a/d-id/1323004
http://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-42-brings-tracking-protection-to-private-browsing/
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