What ETP does
Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection ships in three modes:
- Standard (default), blocks third-party tracking cookies, social media trackers, fingerprinters, cryptominers
- Strict, adds known tracking content blocking (can break embedded widgets)
- Custom, user picks which categories to block
ETP relies primarily on the Disconnect.me tracking protection list, an open-source registry of tracker domains. If a domain is on the list, ETP blocks it.
How ETP differs from ITP
| ITP (Safari) | ETP (Firefox) | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Algorithmic, capped storage based on usage patterns | List-based, blocks known tracker domains |
| Third-party cookies | Blocked | Blocked |
| First-party cookie limits | Yes (7 days when set via JS) | No |
| Fingerprinting | Partial mitigation | Active blocking in strict mode |
| CNAME cloaking | Detected and capped | Not currently targeted |
The practical takeaway: a tracking strategy that survives ITP usually also survives ETP, but the failure modes differ. A first-party server-side approach addresses both.
What ETP breaks
For tracking systems:
- Meta Pixel, Google Tag Manager, TikTok Pixel, all on the Disconnect list, blocked by default
- Third-party cookies, gone (same as ITP)
- Pixel-based retargeting audiences, degrade for Firefox users
- Cross-site identity, depends on cookies that ETP blocks
For users:
- Embedded social-media content can break in strict mode (Tweet embeds, Facebook comments)
- Cross-site sign-in flows may need to use the Storage Access API
How to survive ETP
Same as ITP, basically:
- Server-side first-party tracking, Firefox can’t block your own server-to-server calls
- CAPI / server-side conversion APIs, events fire regardless of browser tracking state
- Avoid third-party hostnames for tracking, anything that resolves to a Disconnect-listed domain will be blocked
If your tracking depends on connect.facebook.net loading in the browser, ETP is going to break it. If your tracking flows through your own server first, ETP is invisible.
Common mistakes
- Treating ETP as Firefox’s problem to solve. Firefox users are 5-10% of typical traffic and skew toward technical / privacy-conscious customers, often a valuable segment to track accurately.
- Skipping the strict-mode case. Strict mode is opt-in but adoption is rising. Test your tracking against it.
- Ignoring Disconnect.me updates. Domains get added to the list regularly. A domain that’s safe today might be blocked next month.
FAQ about ETP (Enhanced Tracking Protection)
What is ETP?
ETP (Enhanced Tracking Protection) is Firefox’s privacy framework. It blocks known tracking domains using the Disconnect.me list, blocks third-party cookies by default, and degrades fingerprinting.
How does ETP differ from ITP?
ITP is algorithmic, it caps cookie lifetimes based on usage patterns. ETP is list-based, it blocks known tracker domains outright. The practical effect is similar: client-side tracking gets stripped or limited.
How do I track Firefox users?
Server-side first-party tracking. Firefox can block your third-party scripts but cannot block your own server-to-server calls to the ad platforms.