Disable Location Tracking in Firefox 3.5 - Privacy Guide
Understanding and Controlling Firefox's Location-Aware Browsing
If you have concerns regarding your privacy and the new Location-Aware Browsing feature – also known as Geolocation – in Firefox 3.5, it can be easily disabled through a configuration adjustment.
A Closer Examination of Location-Aware Browsing
For those interested in learning more about this functionality, here’s an overview of what occurs when a website requests your location within Firefox. A demonstration website showcasing Geolocation is available (link provided at the end of this article).
It’s important to note that the Location-Aware Browsing feature leverages Google Location Services to pinpoint your location utilizing several factors: your computer’s IP address, details regarding nearby wireless networks, and a temporary client identifier assigned by Google (which refreshes every two weeks).
When a website requests access to your location, a notification bar will appear at the top of your browser window.
Let's examine the components of this pop-up bar in more detail.
At this juncture, you have the option to either permit or deny a website access to your location information.
Disabling Location-Aware Browsing
To begin, enter “about:config” (without quotation marks) into the address bar and press “Enter”. You will then encounter the following message. Click on “I’ll be careful, I promise!” to proceed.
After acknowledging the warning, the browser window will display as follows, preparing you to modify settings.
Type or paste “geo.enabled” (without quotation marks) into the “Filter” bar.
Once the “geo.enabled” entry appears, right-click on the value “true” and select “Toggle”.
The Geolocation feature is now deactivated. Observe that the “Status” for this setting is now “user set,” and the value is displayed in bold.
Restart Firefox to finalize the changes.
Important Note: If you wish to test the functionality (and did not previously select “Share”), visiting the demo website will simply display the webpage without prompting for location access. If you previously granted access, follow the instructions below to revoke permissions and clear related data.
Revoking Permissions and Clearing History
1. If you have previously shared your location with a website, here’s how to revoke that permission.
Navigate to the website in question. Then, access the “Tools Menu” and choose “Page Info”.
In the new window, select the “Permissions Tab” and deselect “Always Ask” within the “Share Location” section.
Notice that the “Block” option is now selectable and no longer greyed out.
2. What about the temporary client identification number?
Access the “Tools Menu” and select “Clear Recent History”.
The following window will appear.
Choose the desired “Time range to clear” (selecting “Everything” is recommended for a complete cleanup).
Selecting “Everything” will trigger the following message.
Click the “Details Arrow” to expand the window. Ensure that “Cookies” is selected, then click “Clear Now”.
You have now successfully cleared your browser’s Geolocation data!
Testing the Configuration
Visit the Geolocation demo website to verify the changes.