Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox: Difference between revisions

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~~{{Incomplete|Issue 1= This article is being written as this incident is ongoing so the severity of the incident is yet to be determined.}}~~

In February 2025 Mozilla introduced [[Terms of service|terms of use]] (TOS) for the Firefox browser for the first time as well as an updated {{wplink|Privacy policy|privacy policy}}. These terms of service contain a section about the rights and permissions the user gives to Mozilla. This has caused concern among Firefox users due to how this section was initially phrased.

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===Date of effect===

It is also worth noting that the announcement of the introduction of the TOS and new privacy policy was made in a blog post one day after the terms and privacy policy ~~are~~ to take effect. No other communication was made to users of the browser as of February 27th 2025.

It is also worth noting that the announcement of the introduction of the TOS and new privacy policy was made in a blog post one day after the terms and privacy policy were originally set to take effect.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firefox Terms of Use - Febuary 28 |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228023710/https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |archive-date=28 Feb 2025 |access-date=28 Feb 2025}}</ref> No other communication was made to users of the browser as of February 27th 2025. The terms of use page was then edited to read "Effective February 28, 2025"<ref name="TOS" /> following the update in the language.

===Change of Firefox's FAQ===

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{{cite web

|title= CCPA Full Text

|url= https://~~www~~.~~osano~~.~~com~~/~~resources~~/~~ccpa~~

|url= https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1798.140.#

|website= ~~Osano~~

|website= Legilature.ca.gov

|access-date=1 Mar 2025

}}</ref> However, the new Terms of Use do not explicitly prohibit Mozilla from selling user data in the future, meaning they could legally do so if they chose.<ref name="tos-update" />

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On February 28th, Mozilla updated the terms of use to address the concerns people were having. The section about rights and permissions given to Mozilla was reworded to be more clear:<blockquote>You give Mozilla the rights necessary to operate Firefox. This includes processing your data as we describe in the Firefox Privacy Notice. It also includes a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license for the purpose of doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox. This does not give Mozilla any ownership in that content.</blockquote>As well as this, the new terms have removed the reference to the acceptable use policy.

Mozilla have also provided an explanation for why they changed their FAQ.<ref name="tos-update" /> They say this is because different legislation has different definitions of "sale of data" and this makes it uncertain on whether a business is legally considered to be selling data. Mozilla explicitly cites the California Consumer Privacy Act<ref name="ccpa" /> with regards to how existing privacy legislation defines the sale of data.

Mozilla have also provided an explanation for why they changed their FAQ.<ref name="tos-update" /> They say this is because different legislation has different definitions of "sale of data"and this makes it uncertain on whether a business is legally considered to be selling data. Mozilla explicitly cites the California Consumer Privacy Act<ref name="ccpa" /> with regards to how existing privacy legislation defines the sale of data. <ref group="footnotes">Mozilla in the version of the CCPA they quoted on their update (see ''[https://blog.mozilla.org/en/products/firefox/update-on-terms-of-use/ "An update on out terms of use"]'') a draf version of the CCPA. The difference in the definition used is the inclusion of "another bussiness" in the wording. [https://www.quippd.com/social/posts/2025/03/06/mozilla-quoted-an-incorrect-version-of-the-ccpa-in-their-terms-of-use-update.html "Mozilla Quoted an Incorrect Version of the CCPA in their Terms of Use update"].''Youssuff Quips'' </ref>

==Mozilla's Business Model & Potential CCPA Violations==

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===Potential CCPA Compliance Issues Before the TOU Update===

The CCPA defines "selling data" as: <blockquote>

'' “Sell,” “selling,” “sale,” or “sold,” means selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a consumer’s personal information by the business to ~~another business or~~ a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.''<ref name="ccpa" />

'' “Sell,” “selling,” “sale,” or “sold,” means selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a consumer’s personal information by the business to a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.''<ref name="ccpa" />

</blockquote>

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*'''Mozilla's Search Engine Deals Could Be Considered Data Sales''': As mentioned earlier, these partnerships could legally qualify as data sales under the CCPA definition, despite being an existing part of Mozilla's business model that consumers are already aware of.<ref name="tos-announce" />

*'''Sponsored Content in Firefox's New Tab Page Involves Data Exchange''': Mozilla ~~displays~~ sponsored content and ads on the Firefox New Tab page, which may involve user interaction data being shared with advertisers.<ref name="tos-update" /> Even if the data is anonymized, the CCPA considers certain types of aggregated data as personal information if it can be linked back to users.<ref name="ccpa" />

*'''Sponsored Content in Firefox's New Tab Page Involves Data Exchange''': Mozilla dReferencesisplays sponsored content and ads on the Firefox New Tab page, which may involve user interaction data being shared with advertisers.<ref name="tos-update" /> Even if the data is anonymized, the CCPA considers certain types of aggregated data as personal information if it can be linked back to users.<ref name="ccpa" />

By removing explicit guarantees such as "we never sell your data" & rewriting the Terms of Use, Mozilla eliminated legal ambiguity while maintaining its existing business model.

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==See also==

*[[Mozilla]]

==Footnotes==

==References==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Incomplete|Issue 1= This article is being written as this incident is ongoing so the severity of the incident is yet to be determined.}}
 In February 2025 Mozilla introduced [[Terms of service|terms of use]] (TOS) for the Firefox browser for the first time as well as an updated {{wplink|Privacy policy|privacy policy}}. These terms of service contain a section about the rights and permissions the user gives to Mozilla. This has caused concern among Firefox users due to how this section was initially phrased.
@@ Line 122: / Line 121: @@
 ===Date of effect===
-It is also worth noting that the announcement of the introduction of the TOS and new privacy policy was made in a blog post one day after the terms and privacy policy are to take effect. No other communication was made to users of the browser as of February 27th 2025.
+It is also worth noting that the announcement of the introduction of the TOS and new privacy policy was made in a blog post one day after the terms and privacy policy were originally set to take effect.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firefox Terms of Use - Febuary 28 |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228023710/https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |archive-date=28 Feb 2025 |access-date=28 Feb 2025}}</ref> No other communication was made to users of the browser as of February 27th 2025. The terms of use page was then edited to read "Effective February 28, 2025"<ref name="TOS" /> following the update in the language.
 ===Change of Firefox's FAQ===
@@ Line 171: / Line 170: @@
 {{cite web
 |title= CCPA Full Text
-|url= https://www.osano.com/resources/ccpa
+|url= https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1798.140.#
-|website= Osano
+|website= Legilature.ca.gov
 |access-date=1 Mar 2025
 }}</ref> However, the new Terms of Use do not explicitly prohibit Mozilla from selling user data in the future, meaning they could legally do so if they chose.<ref name="tos-update" />
@@ Line 190: / Line 189: @@
 On February 28th, Mozilla updated the terms of use to address the concerns people were having. The section about rights and permissions given to Mozilla was reworded to be more clear:<blockquote>You give Mozilla the rights necessary to operate Firefox. This includes processing your data as we describe in the Firefox Privacy Notice. It also includes a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license for the purpose of doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox. This does not give Mozilla any ownership in that content.</blockquote>As well as this, the new terms have removed the reference to the acceptable use policy.
-Mozilla have also provided an explanation for why they changed their FAQ.<ref name="tos-update" /> They say this is because different legislation has different definitions of "sale of data" and this makes it uncertain on whether a business is legally considered to be selling data. Mozilla explicitly cites the California Consumer Privacy Act<ref name="ccpa" /> with regards to how existing privacy legislation defines the sale of data.
+Mozilla have also provided an explanation for why they changed their FAQ.<ref name="tos-update" /> They say this is because different legislation has different definitions of "sale of data"and this makes it uncertain on whether a business is legally considered to be selling data. Mozilla explicitly cites the California Consumer Privacy Act<ref name="ccpa" /> with regards to how existing privacy legislation defines the sale of data. <ref group="footnotes">Mozilla in the version of the CCPA they quoted on their update (see ''[https://blog.mozilla.org/en/products/firefox/update-on-terms-of-use/ "An update on out terms of use"]'') a draf version of the CCPA. The difference in the definition used is the inclusion of "another bussiness" in the wording. [https://www.quippd.com/social/posts/2025/03/06/mozilla-quoted-an-incorrect-version-of-the-ccpa-in-their-terms-of-use-update.html "Mozilla Quoted an Incorrect Version of the CCPA in their Terms of Use update"].''Youssuff Quips'' </ref>
 ==Mozilla's Business Model & Potential CCPA Violations==
@@ Line 197: / Line 196: @@
 ===Potential CCPA Compliance Issues Before the TOU Update===
 The CCPA defines "selling data" as: <blockquote>
-'' “Sell,” “selling,” “sale,” or “sold,” means selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a consumer’s personal information by the business to another business or a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.''<ref name="ccpa" />
+'' “Sell,” “selling,” “sale,” or “sold,” means selling, renting, releasing, disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring, or otherwise communicating orally, in writing, or by electronic or other means, a consumer’s personal information by the business to a third party for monetary or other valuable consideration.''<ref name="ccpa" />
 </blockquote>
@@ Line 262: / Line 261: @@
 *'''Mozilla's Search Engine Deals Could Be Considered Data Sales''': As mentioned earlier, these partnerships could legally qualify as data sales under the CCPA definition, despite being an existing part of Mozilla's business model that consumers are already aware of.<ref name="tos-announce" />
-*'''Sponsored Content in Firefox's New Tab Page Involves Data Exchange''': Mozilla displays sponsored content and ads on the Firefox New Tab page, which may involve user interaction data being shared with advertisers.<ref name="tos-update" /> Even if the data is anonymized, the CCPA considers certain types of aggregated data as personal information if it can be linked back to users.<ref name="ccpa" />
+*'''Sponsored Content in Firefox's New Tab Page Involves Data Exchange''': Mozilla dReferencesisplays sponsored content and ads on the Firefox New Tab page, which may involve user interaction data being shared with advertisers.<ref name="tos-update" /> Even if the data is anonymized, the CCPA considers certain types of aggregated data as personal information if it can be linked back to users.<ref name="ccpa" />
 By removing explicit guarantees such as "we never sell your data" & rewriting the Terms of Use, Mozilla eliminated legal ambiguity while maintaining its existing business model.
@@ Line 319: / Line 318: @@
 ==See also==
 *[[Mozilla]]
+==Footnotes==
+<references group="footnotes" />
 ==References==