Firefox turns encrypted DNS on by default for U.S. users

Starting today, all new Firefox installs in the US will have DNS over HTTPS (DoH) enabled by default. The company also plans to silently roll out the change across the United States in the coming weeks.

"Today, Firefox began the rollout of encrypted DNS over HTTPS (DoH) by default for US-based users," Firefox maker Mozilla said in an announcement scheduled to go live at this link Tuesday morning. "The rollout will continue over the next few weeks to confirm no major issues are discovered as this new protocol is enabled for Firefox's US-based users."

DoH is a new standard that encrypts a part of your internet traffic that's typically sent over an unencrypted plain text connection, and which could allow others to see what websites you're visiting, even when your communication with the website itself is encrypted using HTTPS.

Mozilla started working on improving DNS privacy about two years ago. Since then, other browsers, including Chrome, have also added support for DoH. That said, the standard is not without its detractors. In the UK, for instance, it's been argued that DoH also makes it easier for criminals, particularly when it comes to spreading photos of child abuse. There are also complaints that DoH could bypass whitelist filters and parental controls, as well as make it harder for ISPs and lawmakers to block illegal content. To that end, last year Mozilla said in a blog that it would provide opt-in parental controls, as well as honor enterprise configurations, which may also be adversely impacted by DoH.

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