How to disable Location/Notification/Camera/Mic?

[FrankSMS]

I am continually asked if I want to be notified for something. I'd like to disable the location, camera, mic, etc permanently and enable them only on sites I wish. Is this possible? Somewhere in about:config perhaps? Nothing in Options seems to be able to do this. When you bring up what you'd think would help (Options, Privacy and Security, Permissions) its only for enabling what you disabled via each website you're already been to and have disabled. I want to disable all future websites.

[Brummelchen]

really?
--> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/co ... ty-firefox

[FrankSMS]

I went to that link. Didn't see anything there that can block location, notifications, camera, mic etc, for future browsing. Did I miss it? The closest thing I saw was the part on Permissions but that isn't what I need (I think) as it seems to relate to the site I'm currently at, not for future sites. As I plan to go to new websites in the future and haven't yet read all of the 1 billion + sites in existence...... I don't want to use Incognito mode if possible as then nothing is logged in history and I find history very useful occasionally.

I wonder if Incognito Mode would prevent some or all of these notification popups? The next time it occurs I'll try the same site in Incognito Mode to see if it makes a difference. If that helps I'll use it in the future and forsake ever using History I guess. Would be worth it to get some peace.

[mtalbot]

If you want to disable location detection and pop-ups then you need to go in to "about:config" and change "geo.enabled" to "false". Hopefully someone else can help with the other settings because I haven't found anything yet.

[Frank Lion]

I am continually asked if I want to be notified for something

Continually?

In addition to what mtalbot posted, you need about:config > media.navigator.enabled and media.peerconnection.enabled > toggle both to False.

You are now sorted. There'll be prefs for this in 59 anyway.

[FrankSMS]

Hey, those are great solutions. So often I can't find what I need in about:config simply because they use what seems to me odd terminology but I'm sure they have their reasons for naming things how they do. What they really need is a good help page for about:config with a good find function so you can punch in things like this and you know where to go to experiment with different settings. I think most people would just dump Chrome and IE in an instant if they knew the power and customization of about:config. It certainly is not very user friendly. They need to adapt a Back function so you can just reverse what you have just implemented. I guess that would be in History though.

Anyway, thank you again. for great advice.

[FrankSMS]

Forgot one. Probably the one that comes up the most often.
"We'd like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates".
What is odd is that under Permissions, Notifications for this site (tomshardware.com) I have notifications blocked. Is there something else that can be done I wonder?

[Frank Lion]

Forgot one. Probably the one that comes up the most often.
"We'd like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates"

I haven't personally tested this one, but that should be dom.webnotifications.enabled to False.

You must go to completely different sites to me, because I never get these. It might be worth you checking your Cookies setting and going for 'Allow for Session' or something, in case they have you down as a suitable candidate to keep giving these notifications to.

[FrankSMS]

Thank you again. That did stop that popup.
Try tomshardware.com as it has a lot of popups.
As for cookies I have everything enabled. Could that be causing problems? Without cookies though so many sites won't function. Seems like a necessary evil.

[Frank Lion]

Try tomshardware.com as it has a lot of popups.

Even with a clean, default profile I don't get any.

Try tomshardware.com as it has a lot of popups.
As for cookies I have everything enabled. Could that be causing problems? Without cookies though so many sites won't function.

Yeah, that could be causing you problems. But, you can have the best of both worlds very easily and under Options set cookies to 'Allow for Session'.

That way, you still have your cookies and stuff functions OK, but they all expire at the end of the session, i.e. when you turn the browser off. It's that last part that stops them building up a picture of you and targeting you every time you go to not only the sites you've visited before, but also one you are viewing for the first time.

You can go much further on the cookie side, as many people have, but stopping them persisting across sessions is a very good start and possibly all you'll need to quieten this stuff down.

[FrankSMS]

Makes a lot of sense. Thank you.