(CNN) -- A Federal Trade Commission official announced that Twitter users will be able block personal data from being shared with third-party websites. The announcement came at an Internet privacy forum in New York, where FTC Chief Technology Officer Ed Felten announced the micro-blogging and social media service is participating in "Do Not Track," the Internet privacy feature launched last year by Mozilla for users of its Firefox web browser. "Do Not Track" allows users to block third-party cookies, which are used to piece together Internet users' personal information and online activity. To opt into the service on Twitter, users must select the "Do Not Track" feature within the Firefox browser. Other top web browsers, including Apple's Safari and Microsoft's Internet Explorer, have similar features.
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FTC official: Twitter is participating in the "Do Not Track" Internet privacy feature
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The move is a step in the right direction, says FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz
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The role of federal regulations in web privacy has been a focus of concern in Washington
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Facebook and Google depend heavily on third-party apps for their revenue
According to Mozilla, around 9% of @placeholder users opt in to "Do Not Track."