How can you change your cookie settings in Firefox? To change your cookie settings:

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click Options.
2. Select the Privacy panel.

If you click the check mark box under the “Tracking” section, you can tell websites that you do not want to be tracked. I have covered that in a previous article: How to Stop Website Tracking in Firefox

Under “History” you have the option to remember past websites you’ve visited, not to remember websites you’ve visited or a custom history setting.  When Firefox remembers your browsing history, it keeps track of form and search history, websites you’ve visited, downloads and cookies.

Last but not least, if you scroll down a little lower you will see the option to “Accept cookies from sites”. This allows you to control if specific websites can track you or not.  You can also accept cookies until:

• Keep until: they expire: Each cookie will be removed when it reaches its expiration date, which is set by the site that sent the cookie.
• Keep until: I close Firefox: The cookies that are stored on your computer will be removed when Firefox is closed.
• Keep until: ask me every time: Displays an alert every time a website tries to send a cookie, and asks you whether or not you want to store it.

When you are done with your cookie changing, always be sure to hit the “OK” button at the bottom of the options window to save your changes.  What type of cookie tracking changes do you like to make?

Unfortunately, it’s enough to regularly clean your system of cookies to make App Tabs not work. On my work computer, I run CCleaner on daily basis and the App Tabs I set up don’t work. Therefore, I installed a wonderful App Tab Initializer addon, but still find it strange that such a great functionality cannot work on its own…

So with that said, I thought I would give App Tab Initializer a shot and I have to say, it does exactly as reported. If you automatically clear your browser history upon closing Firefox, this add-on will allow you to keep your favorite App Tabs up and running. App Tab Initializer lets you grab the list of open App Tabs from your current browser and store it. When you start Firefox it will open your preferred set of App Tabs.

You can pick up App Tab Initializer from the Firefox Add-ons website.

• Google
• Yahoo
• Microsoft
• Network Advertising Initiative Members

Here is a peek at the interface of Beef Taco:

Personally I have never understood the reason for wanting to block advertising cookies in the browser, but for those of you who like to keep things nice and private – Beef Taco will help you get the job done. If anything, you could pick and choose who’s ads you want to accept and who’s you want to block too.

You can pick up Beef Taco from the Firefox Add-ons website.

Here are the steps you need to take to turn on the Do-no-track feature in Firefox.

1. Click the Firefox button and then select Options
2. Next, select the Privacy tab in the options menu
3. Under the Tracking section, click the check mark box next to, "Tell web sites I do no want to be tracked"
4. Hit the button that reads, "OK" to close the options window.

When you turn on the Do-not-track feature, you are telling websites that you do not want your private information to be gathered.  Now, it should also be noted that honoring this setting is voluntary, and up to the websites you visit to adhere by your wishes. I will let you debate the facts there if this is a more useful part of the Do-not-track feature or a drawback.

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What is Do Not Track?

The Federal Trade Commission, in early December, announced it would promote the addition of easier "do not track" mechanisms in web browsers out there but will not seek legislation that makes adding these controls to any web browser out there mandatory. So, like with most topics in the on going browser wars between Google, Mozilla and Microsoft everybody is claiming they are doing something first to help protect the users out there.

What About Private Browsing Mode?

Ah ha, I see you have been paying attention.  Yes, Firefox does have the private browsing mode embedded into the browser.  This feature simply prevents information about your browsing activity from being saved to the PC.  It does not make you anonymous on the Web. 

So, Are All Cookies Evil?

No, not all cookies are evil.  To take a step back, browser cookies are tiny text files stored on your PC from browsing that are set to remember certain things about you. Cookies are most often used for website authentication, storing website preferences, link click tracking and more. The scare factor here has to do with cookies from third parties, such as advertisers, and their ability to track more information about you. Most browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome, do allow third-party cookies by default, though they allow users to block them.

Here is how I have my own Firefox set up to clear browser cookies and history each time I start Firefox up:

• Clear Junk When Firefox Closes

So the good news is that more privacy protection is coming to Firefox and all other browsers in 2011.  The question is do we really need protecting?

Here are the steps you will need to take:

1. Go to the website you wish to block from setting cookies in Firefox.
2. At the top of the Firefox, click on the Tools menu, and select Page Info.
3. In the Page Info window, select the Permissions panel.
4. Underneath Set Cookies, remove the check mark from Use Default.
5. Change the setting to Block.

Now, all you will need to do is close the Page Info window.  You are done!  What if you have a change of heart, but forgot what which website it was you blocked?  You can view a full list of websites you have blocked in this way by following these steps:

1. Inside of Firefox, click on the Tools menu, and then select Options.
2. Next, select the Privacy tab
3. Set the Firefox will: drop down box to Use custom settings for history
4. Next to where it says Accept Cookies from sites, click on Exceptions

Now most of the time, cookies are not really harmful – they are just gaining information about you that the website might need to function or to learn more about the people who visit the site (like browser type, how long did you stay there, and more). Cookies also store website preferences and login statuses too.  So be careful before you get too trigger happy blocking too many browser cookies.

There you have it.  Now you can be a little more in control of how cookies are treated on a per website basis inside of Firefox.

I’ll share with you though how I have my browser setup to clear some un-important data each time I close the browser.

Mitch’s Clear History When Firefox Closes Settings

Go to Tools, and then click on Options.

Next, go to the Privacy tab and select “Use custom settings for history” from the drop down menu.

Put a check mark in the box for, “Clear history when Firefox closes” and then click on the button labeled, Settings.

Make sure you add a check mark for only the following boxes:

• Browsing History
• Download History
• Forms & Search History
• Cache

Then hit the button labeled, “OK” to continue.  On the Options window, also click the button labeled, “OK” and you are all set.

This way I have Firefox setup to clear everything except for my saved passwords and login sessions that are enabled by cookies.  Your setup might be different, and if it is – feel free to share in the comments. 

What a minute, what was that?  Was it a bump in the night or a cookie in my browser?  Ghostery, the add-on for Firefox, will help you find out what web sites out there are keeping an eye on you, even when it isn’t overly obvious. 

Alerting you when you visit a web site with web bugs on it, Ghostery is a good extension to have if you are worried about your online privacy.  The web bugs in question are usually hidden scripts that track your behavior and are used by the site to understand you better.

Currently supporting over 130 services (with weekly updates and additions) here is a sample of the supported services:

• Google Analytics
• MyBlogLog
• Quantcast
• IndexTools
• SiteMeter
• Lijit
• Omniture
• CrazyEgg
• Snap
• Omniture
• Statcounter

Well deserving of it’s rank as a “recomended add-on” for Firefox, Ghostery does a great job at helping you keep an eye on what sites, ad networks and widgets are keeping an eye on you.

What is Firefox Saving About Me?

Now the first question you may have is what type of content is saved by Firefox?