The Firefox web browser has been through some dramatic changes over the years. One thing that hasn't changed is Mozilla's commitment to user privacy. With the launch of a new Firefox add-on today, Mozilla is doubling down on privacy.
That add-on is Firefox Private Network, and it's currently only available to Firefox users in the U.S. It's designed to provide simple, two-click privacy protection.
Install the add-on, click the icon, and flick the switch when the Firefox Private Network screen appears. When it's turned on, your data is routed through a secure connection that helps minimize privacy risks as you browser. It's harder for certain online trackers and invasive advertisers to snoop on what you're doing. It also ensures that you're not taking gambling with your privacy and security when you have to connect to an untrusted network (like those at airports, hotels, and coffee shops).
Mozilla couldn't pull off a service like this on its own. Unlike Google, Mozilla doesn't have its own DNS servers and content distribution network. To make Firefox Private Network a reality, Mozilla brought in a partner that does: Cloudflare.
Cloudflare handles the secure proxy that powers the Firefox Private Network. When you enable the add-on it makes a connection to the nearest Cloudflare data center. That helps to ensure that you won't have to trade a speedy browsing experience for enhanced privacy. It's a no-compromise experience.
Most private network services aren't 100% private, and that's true here, too. Cloudflare does, however, only collect a minimal amount of data about your activity while Firefox Private Network is switched on: your IP address and the IP address of the sites you visit (it needs those in order to connect you to websites), any applicable TCP/IP port numbers, a timestamp, and a token that confirms you're a legit Firefox Private Network user.
All data is removed from Cloudflare's servers after 24 hours and your data is never shared with any third parties without Mozilla's authorization.
One important note for prospective users is that Firefox Private Network is not designed to get around georestrictions. It's all about privacy, so you'll need to look elsewhere if you're hoping to access out-of-market content.
If enhanced privacy is what you're after, Firefox Private Network delivers. You can take it for a test drive now (you'll need the Firefox browser installed, naturally). It's totally free during the testing phase, but will likely be introduced as a premium feature down the road.
Firefox isn't the first browser maker to introduce this sort of functionality. Opera introduced a similar service back in April of 2016 which the company refers to as a VPN. Some experts have explained that it's more like a proxy service, and there have also been concerns raised about how private the feature really is following Opera's acquisition by a China-based consortium in July 2016.
