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Protect Your Online Privacy with This Terrific New Extension for Chrome
Are you concerned about all the tracking that goes on while you surf the Internet? Users of the Chrome browser have a new weapon against the invasion of their privacy. [Added later: This works for Firefox also.] [Added even later: there seem to be a lot of problems with this extension in Firefox.] It is an extension that makes it really easy to configure the privacy settings for Google, Facebook, and many other sites. It is called PrivacyFix and has just been released. The description and download are at this link.
When you run the extension, it provides an analysis of your privacy settings for Facebook and Google, and it lists all the cookies currently tracking you as you browse around the Internet. The extension takes you to each site to make fixes and provides a clear explanation of changes in privacy settings that can be made. An example for Facebook is shown in the figure below.
If you are concerned about what use the extension itself might make of your private data, here is a statement of privacy from the developer:
“We do not receive or store any data associated with your use of Privacyfix unless you voluntarily send it to us. Period.”
The extension is brand new and I have only used it for a day but so far I really like how easy it is to configure various privacy settings. If you try it, let us know what you think.
More details on how to use the extension can be found at this link.
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For crying out loud people why would you/trust this application ? to do anything than gather your information with...your permission. Buy yourself a good antivirus like in the top 3 st your privacy settings and sleep well !
Privacy and security are not always equivalent.
Pity it doesn't work on earlier versions of Firefox!
I would recommend updating to the latest version of Firefox...
New versions fix known issues and patches known security loopholes so you are safer
Why don't you have the latest version of FF?
I installed this in chrome and it opened up the privacyfix tab every time I started chrome. I tried reinstalling chrome, disabling other add ons like ad block, etc. and still had the privacy fix tab open every time. It's convenient but the annoyance of having the tab open every time turned me off to it.
Yesterday I installed this add-on on firefox.
Today I experienced that - due to this add-on - the search results of this site were no longer displayed.
So I removed it again.
Thank you. This works perfectly in my Firefox 16. Maybe upgrading Firefox to 16 is the trick. The only thing I cant fix with this new extension is preventing Google from tracking me. I click the FIX button and I'm sent to a page saying the "Item has been moved here", click that link and it returns me to the Privacyfix page. I do have 'Google Do Not Track' installed. Maybe that extension is the problem here. I also have DNT+, ADBlock, and Ghostery installed with everything blocked. Dont have No Scripts installed. I'm running Win7_64. Kind Regards, and thanks again!
Using firefox 15.0.1 I have added the program to my "add ons", but see no evidence that it is working.
I don't believe I am using "no=scripts".
How does one know if the program is working?
I installed PrivacyFix in FF 16 and after disabling Ghostery and DNT+ I found that after logging into Facebook the extension kept stating that I still needed to log in.
I have now removed PrivacyFix as it fell at the first hurdle. :-(
My original recommendation of PrivacyFix was for Chrome and it worked with no problem. Then I tried PrivacyFix on Firefox 16. I have NoScript, Ghostery, and AdBlock Plus installed. NoScript blocked PrivacyFix until I added privacyfix.com as an allowed site. Then the extension worked. I use Microsoft Security Essentials but other security suites and/or firewall settings might affect the extension. Also other privacy extensions may conflict. PrivacyFix has to dial out to Facebook and Google+ to let you set the privacy options and I imagine there are PC setups that would block that.
Sounds like a good idea but didn't work for me. Like others, I found that PrivacyFix fails to "set up." Per prior comments, I disabled NoScript, AdBlock and Ghostery, but that did not help at all. It will not get past the "setting up" window. I have Windows XP SP3 and Firefox 15.0.1.
Maybe you have a security program that is interfering with this, or it's just a Firefox issue. I have Adblock and Ghostery fully enabled in Chrome and this works for both my Windows 7 and Linux systems.
Like most of the other Firefox users, the extension didn't setup or run properly. I'm running Firefox 15, and don't have NoScript installed. Its too bad it isn't working (well), as tracking sites are a problem, even with DNT+ installed.
Maybe when the Developers get it fixed....
Just out of curiosity, what problems are you having with tracking sites?
Can't say for sure what sites are tracking me....though I do find tracking cookies when I scan for malware.
To me, the point of this extension is to be proactive - find the sites that want to track you and block them from doing so.
You may have other privacy extensions that are blocking PrivacyFix.
Is there anything to be concerned about with these requirements in Chrome ?
This extension can access:
Your data on all websites
Settings that specify whether websites can use features such as cookies, JavaScript and plug-ins
Your browsing history
Your list of installed apps, extensions and themes
Your tabs and browsing activity
That is a standard precautionary warning from Chrome. You will see that same message for many extensions. If you are concerned, see the privacy statement at the developer's site.
I think the problem for me is that this is supposed to help remove my information from google, facbook, etc. But why would I trust the developers of privacyfix with all of the above info. Seems like you are just moving your info from one company to the other and trusting that they won't do the same as the other does with it.
The developers say that they do not keep any of your information.
Says it is setting up and make take up to 30 seconds but never does.
I'm running FireFox v14 so FoxyTunes will continue working.
Do I need to upgrade to v15 so Privacy Fix will install?
I use Firefox 15.0.1 and have exactly the same problem. Set up is supposed to take "up to 30 seconds". After five minutes I shut down the program. I tried twice more to install the program but the results were the same.
My computer is a Vista Home Premium, SP 2.
If you are using NoScript or similar extension, you will need to configure it to allow PrivacyFix to run.
Site says, "Setup can take up to thirty seconds" but after two minutes its still setting up. Is there something else I need to know?
If you are using NoScript or similar extension, you will need to configure it to allow PrivacyFix to run.
I don't have Noscript but I do use facebook disconnect, norton vulnerability protection and better privacy. Would these interfere?
I don't have personal knowledge of the extensions you mention but it's quite possible that there is a conflict.
Could you direct me to a page describing how to identify or maybe work around such a potential conflict?
And "Thank you" for all the work and discovering of great programs you have done. This is the only "stumbling" experience I've had so this is not acomplaint, more of a whine. :+O
How does this improve on Do Not Track+ which has been around for a while now?
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/do-not-track-plus/epanfjkfahimkgomnigadpkobaefekcd?hl=en-US