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Sometimes when you see text on a webpage, it's really a picture.

If you use extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) that can block (wanted) content (e.g. Adblock Plus, NoScript, Ghostery, uBlock Origin) always make sure such extensions do not block (wanted) content.

• make sure your extensions and filters are updated to the latest version

You can try these steps in case of issues with web pages:

You can reload web page(s) and bypass the cache to refresh possibly outdated or corrupted files.

• hold down the Shift key and left-click the Reload button
• press "Ctrl + F5" or press "Ctrl + Shift + R" (Windows,Linux)
• press "Command + Shift + R" (Mac)

Clear the cache and remove the cookies from websites that cause problems via the "3-bar" Firefox menu button (Options/Preferences).

"Clear the cache:

• Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Cached Web Content: "Clear Now"

"Remove the cookies" from websites that cause problems.

• Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> "Use custom settings for history" -> Cookies: "Show Cookies"

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

• switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Appearance
• do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems

Here's a link - sorry for not thinking to include it. I can select text on the home page, but not on any of the articles. https://www.nytimes.com/

Thanks for your suggestions cor-el. Unfortunately, none of them remedied the problem. FWIW, I've noticed that the issue in intermittent but doesn't seem to relate to Firefox updates, installing or uninstalling add-ons or extensions, or anything like that.

Again, everything is fine when javascript is turned off (aside from the page layout becoming a disaster). It's almost like the NYT things I'm using a tablet or touchscreen or something, when what I am using is a decidedly non-tablet, touchscreen Thinkpad T410.

I also tried an add-on that supposedly would tell the NYT that I was using a different browser and OS, but it didn't do anything. Since it's not happening on Chrome, I'm wondering if it's yet another instance of a site being optimized for Google's browser causing issues for those of us who prefer not to use Chrome.

I checked the main page and several articles. No problem.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} by holding down the <Shift> (Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox.

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

The double-click behavior makes me think of a mobile or touch interface.

Does your computer have a touchscreen? You could try setting Firefox not to let pages use touch-related events to see whether that helps:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste touch and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the dom.w3c_touch_events.enabled preference and change the value from 2 (which means detect/enable automatically) to 0 (zero means disable) and click OK

I think you might need to exit Firefox and start it up again before that takes effect, but you also could try using Shift+reload (Shift+click the reload button on the toolbar) or Ctrl+Shift+r to force a fresh detection on the flight list page.

Any difference?

Of course, if you enjoy using touch, then that isn't a good workaround.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried safe mode as well as disabling touch, but still no luck. Weirdly, I found that I don't experience the same issue on my other laptop, which has the exact same Firefox setup as the one that's giving me trouble.

I was able to highlight and select txts. So I think something is a play on your system.

Hi mikebara, I was speculating before based on the behavior, but does your computer have a touch screen?

If you "long click" a word, does the page behave as though you did a "long press" on a touch screen and show selection handles at the beginning and end of the word?

Nope. No touch screen. Long click or short click, nothing happens, but only on the NYT stories. Clearly something idiosyncratic to my laptop, as my other laptop with exactly the same setup of Firefox (and also no touchscreen) doesn't do this. I think it's going to end up as one of those unsolved computer mysteries, but I do appreciate the suggestions!

I tried link on Firefox focus looks like flash player site and I couldn't select text but I could on chrome browser.

Hi Angelz121, this question is for Firefox 57 on Windows 10. I suspect that Focus, being a mobile browser, gives you a very different experience.