Firefox is working on a new service called Private Relay which could help protect user email addresses and their privacy through the creation of aliases. With so many websites and organizations asking to be linked to a user's email, this could prove to be a popular service to aid with the growing risk of user information being stolen online.
Firefox has been growing in popularity since 2004 and is the preferred choice by many over the Google Chrome browser. This is partly due to the fact that where Chrome has become an all-in-one application with browser features, Firefox has remained just a browser and been able to focus on what can separate it from the competition. With an emphasis on security, a customizable experience, and still being able to do everything the competition can, Firefox has made itself into a competitor in a busy market.
Private Relay is a new security-focused feature by Mozilla and currently in a closed beta. However, a public beta is scheduled for later this year, according to ZDNet. The new feature will allow Firefox users to generate a unique email address with a single click which can then be used online to subscribe to newsletters, open new accounts, or send contact requests within web forms. The alias will receive the emails and forward them to the real email address, along with the option to disable or delete spam and/or any other unwanted communications. Through Private Relay, Mozilla is hoping to create a simpler email alias solution that all users can easily utilize, in order to protect themselves digitally.
In the past people have always tried to escape newsletters or spam they have signed up for. These emails not only clutter up inboxes, but can be distracting or even harmful. To avoid these, people have tried many different options including creating a second email account for the sole purpose of signing up to websites. The downside of this is that if there ever was an email from a company that the user wanted to see, they would need to search for their login information in order to gain access to the other account. Another option some often turn to is using a temporary email website. Sites like these create an email and inbox for a short period of time which gives users enough time to sign up and receive a verification email before the account erases. Though this may sound appealing, there is no way to receive emails once the account is gone. Apple has also mentioned it is working on a similar email alias feature for its Sign in with Apple login system which will utilize a user's Apple ID, rather than the standard website sign-in.
Despite there being other ways to get around spam emails or a cluttered inbox, an email alias is the best option. Not only is it keeping your account secure, but it also gives users a customization option for the type of emails they want to receive. If done correctly, Mozilla Firefox's Private Relay sounds like an option that will not only keep users safe from online scams but also help to declutter inboxes and focus user attention on the emails that actually matter.
Source: ZDNet
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May 05, 2020 at 05:25AM
