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Firefox Borrows From Tor Browser Again, Blocks Canvas Fingerprinting (bleepingcomputer.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Mozilla engineers have borrowed yet another feature from the Tor Browser and starting with version 58 Firefox will block attempts to fingerprint users using the HTML5 canvas element. The technique is widely used in the advertising industry to track users across sites. Firefox 58 is scheduled for release on January 16, 2018.

Canvas fingerprinting blocking is the second feature Mozilla engineers have borrowed from the Tor Project. Previously, Mozilla has added a mechanism to Firefox 52 that prevents websites from fingerprinting users via system fonts. Mozilla's efforts to harden Firefox are part of the Tor Uplift project, an initiative to import more privacy-focused feature from the Tor Browser into Firefox.

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  1. Borrowed from a derivative project? by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Insightful

    OK, "Mozilla engineers have borrowed yet another feature from the Tor Browser" sounds like they are ripping off some projects better design features, but to be fair, the Tor Browser is BUILT on Firefox to begin with.
    That being the case, how is this not just common sense on the part of Mozilla to use features of the derivative to make their own browser better? Tor is still using the Mozilla Public License for their browser so I just don't get the slant of the headline...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network)#Tor_Browser

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