Techlore Talks Why Google Chrome Betrays Your Privacy (Firefox CTO Explains)
Nov 19, 2025
Bobby Holley, CTO of Firefox, brings over 17 years of experience in browser security and privacy to the discussion. He explains how Google Chrome collects user data for targeted ads, contrasting it with Firefox's privacy-first approach. Bobby dives into privacy features like enhanced tracking protection and how Firefox integrates Tor's privacy innovations. He also shares insights on the importance of browser independence, the challenges of AI, and the impact of regulations like the DMA on user choice. A thought-provoking chat on staying safe online!
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Why Firefox Keeps Its Own Engine
- Maintaining Gecko gives Mozilla leverage in web standards where Apple and Google dominate.
- Bobby Holley says Gecko preserves independent representation and steers the web toward user-focused choices.
Default Block Third-Party Tracking
- Block third-party tracking by default: Firefox deprecated third-party cookies with Total Cookie Protection.
- Holley recommends browsers adopt these protections because they dramatically reduce cross-site tracking.
Fingerprinting Remains A Major Threat
- Fingerprinting is a hard, multi-vector privacy problem that persists after cookies.
- Firefox cut uniqueness roughly in half by reducing entropy across fonts, canvas, audio and other APIs.