Mozilla Taps Former Google Exec as it Rethinks Privacy

Mozilla has found a new global policy chief in Alan Davidson, the former Google policy chief who also managed Internet policy and security under the Obama administration. He'll report to chief operating officer Denelle Dixon.

Davidson will oversee the browser company's efforts involving policy, trust, and security, with responsibilities extending to compliance and investigations. His arrival comes at a time when Mozilla is ramping up efforts to defend the openness of the Web and privacy of its users.

It's also the latest privacy-focused move coming from Mozilla. Last week the company announced its Firefox browser will block Web trackers by default and give users more control over the information they share with sites they access. Firefox will strip cookies and block storage access from third-party tracking content, it said.

The decision is part of a broader effort intended to protect users' information, according to Mozilla. In addition to eliminating cross-site tracking, it plans to improve page load performance and mitigate other harmful online practices, such as cryptomining and fingerprinting users.

Read more details here and here.