My journey with Lightbeam, the open-source Firefox web browser extension, is a story of code, community, and commitment to digital privacy. What started as an Outreachy internship in 2017 blossomed into a long-term dedication, securing a crucial tool for a global research community and a commitment to web tracking awareness.

A Tool That Changed the View

Lightbeam was a visualization tool unlike any other. It didn’t just block third-party trackers; it created a real-time, interactive graph of the first- and third-party sites you connected with during your browsing session. This clarity was revolutionary, turning the abstract concept of web tracking into a tangible, network visualization.

Serving the Vast Research Community

Lightbeam’s visualization capabilities made it an indispensable asset for the academic world. It provided verifiable data and a comprehensible model for complex digital surveillance.

• Academic Citations: The extension served as a cornerstone for countless papers and studies in the privacy and security space. Researchers leveraged Lightbeam to analyze tracking patterns, measure data leakage, and document the evolving ecosystem of the surveillance economy.
• Education: It became a powerful educational tool, used in classrooms and workshops to teach users and students alike about the hidden connections operating behind every webpage they visited. Lightbeam helped turn passive internet users into informed digital citizens.

My Mission: Keeper of the Light

My contributions to Lightbeam extend beyond a simple development cycle. When Mozilla officially retired the extension, I recognized its ongoing value to researchers and stepped in as a dedicated maintainer.

My work focused on keeping the extension functional and relevant in an ever-changing web landscape. This effort was significantly bolstered by a grant from Prototypefund.de, which allowed me to:

• Sustain and Modernize: I successfully maintained the codebase, ensuring compatibility with new Firefox versions and addressing evolving tracking techniques.
• Expert Collaboration: I had the privilege of working closely with leading privacy researchers and data processing authorities across Europe. This direct collaboration ensured Lightbeam remained a scientifically rigorous tool that met the needs of those on the front lines of privacy advocacy.
• Advocacy and Education: I shared our findings and the power of Lightbeam through numerous conference talks and detailed online notes, fostering a deeper understanding of web tracking among developers, policymakers, and the public.

Looking back, maintaining Lightbeam was more than just a technical task; it was a proud contribution to the global effort for a more transparent and private internet. It’s rewarding to know that a project I worked on continues to be a meaningful reference point in the history of digital privacy research.