mozilla firefox private browser not working as should
When I open a browser in private mode, you see a symbol of a shield (before the URL), letting you know that tracking attempts are being blocked. But, if you do a search, the shield disappears!! This means that private browsing was IMPLICITLY turned off.
Private browsing should stay activated till I deactivate it.
So I tried private browsing in google chrome (they call it incognito mode) and it stays in private mode whether I'm doing a search or entering a URL. Also, it is very clear in chrome that you're in private mode because the page is darker, and not some dumb shield that is hard to notice in Firefox
It is truly a sad day when something works as it should in chrome but not in firefox
All Replies (7)
uninstall Firefox. Then Delete the Mozilla Firefox Folders in C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files(x86) Then restart system. Then run Windows Disk Cleanup. Then run it again and click the button that says Cleanup System Files. Note: your Firefox Profile is saved. But you should make a back up before you do : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles
Reinstall with Current Release Firefox 57.0.1 with a Full Version Installer https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/
See if that works.
fyi: It took 5yrs to make 57 and before that it was patched Netscape code. So yes there maybe a bug or to. Full Multiprocessor this version and you do not report any issues , So that is good. Version 58 will bring Multi-Thread.
Firefox is completely Customizable : https://www.howtogeek.com/333110/how-to-customize-firefox-quantum-and-remove-the-white-space-around-the-title-bar/ and https://www.howtogeek.com/334716/how-to-customize-firefoxs-user-interface-with-userchrome.css/
Please keep your Video Card Drivers Updated, Very Important. Thank You
Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.
You only see the shield when Tracking Protection is blocking content. If thee is no content to block then the shield will disappear.
You can check the Web Console (Tools -> Web Developer) for messages about blocked content and about the presence of mixed or unsafe content.
@ Pkshadow .... huh?
Hi Mesut_Ozil, private browsing means a very specific thing: history is not being saved in your Firefox data. Tracking Protection is an additional, separate feature. See: Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history.
As cor-el indicated, the shield does not appear until Firefox blocks content from servers on the block list. Unless you are using an awful search site, a results page usually doesn't contain content from third party servers. (To switch between the regular and strict block lists, if you think Firefox is not strict enough, see: What happened to Tracking Protection?.)
To confirm that your private window is private:
(A) Make sure the purple mask is still on the window title bar
Note: the title bar mask and the special purple start page of private window tabs will appear in a regular session of mixed regular and private windows, but not in a private-only session. In private-only sessions ("Firefox will: Never remember history" or "Always use private browsing mode" in Privacy options), Firefox does not display those cues, but history is not being saved.
(B) Go to a regular (non-private) window and look at history.
The new search result URL -- or any other activity -- from the private window should not be listed in history.
@ cor-el .... hmmm. It seems you're right. I went to bankofamerica.com, and the shield showed, then using the same tab, i did a google search and the shield disappeared, then i went back and the shield showed again.
Kool. But, does this mean that google searching overrides your Tracking Protection and can thereby track whatever I search for?
@ jscher2000 .... thanks for the info on tracking protection, but i already read that
Mesut_Ozil said
But, does this mean that google searching overrides your Tracking Protection and can thereby track whatever I search for?
Google can associate your search with you if you are logged into your Google account, private browsing or not. If you do not log in, Google can associate your search with a particular cookie placed on your Firefox during the current private session. Because it is a private window, once you end your session and that cookie is flushed, Google can't (easily) associate the searches from one session with those made in another. I say easily because researchers have demonstrated other techniques for tracking, but I don't think Google uses them.
Mesut_Ozil said
@ jscher2000 .... thanks for the info on tracking protection, but i already read that
Okay, so you know Tracking Protection applies to third party trackers and not to the site whose address is listed in the address bar. In other words, when you search on Google, Google is not a third party, it is considered the first party (you're the second party).