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{{Stub}}
{{ProductCargo
{{ProductCargo
|Company=Mozilla
|Company=Mozilla
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|Category=Browser, Web Browser
|Category=Browser, Web Browser
|Website=https://www.firefox.com/
|Website=https://www.firefox.com/
|Description=Firefox is a free open-source browser created and owned by Mozilla.
|Description=Firefox is a free and open-source browser created and owned by Mozilla.
|Logo=Firefox_Logo.svg}}'''Firefox''' is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It is officially available on Windows (10 and above<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 Feb 2025 |title=Firefox users on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 moving to Extended Support Release |url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729074747/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support |archive-date=29 Jul 2025 |access-date=20 Aug 2025 |website=Mozilla Support}}</ref>), macOS and Linux.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Aug 2025 |title=Firefox for desktop |url=https://www.firefox.com/en-US/browsers/desktop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729082008/https://www.firefox.com/en-US/browsers/desktop/ |archive-date=29 Jul 2025 |access-date=20 Aug 2025 |website=Firefox}}</ref>{{Ph-C-Int}}
|Logo=Firefox_Logo.svg}}
 
'''{{wplink|Firefox}}''' is a free and open-source web browser developed by the [[Mozilla]] Foundation. It is officially available on Windows (10 and above<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 Feb 2025 |title=Firefox users on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 moving to Extended Support Release |url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729074747/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support |archive-date=29 Jul 2025 |access-date=20 Aug 2025 |website=Mozilla Support}}</ref>), macOS and Linux.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Aug 2025 |title=Firefox for desktop |url=https://www.firefox.com/en-US/browsers/desktop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729082008/https://www.firefox.com/en-US/browsers/desktop/ |archive-date=29 Jul 2025 |access-date=20 Aug 2025 |website=Firefox}}</ref>


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
===User privacy===
Despite marketing itself as a security browser, by default "technical and interaction data" is sent to Firefox.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manage technical and interaction data collection settings in Firefox|url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/technical-and-interaction-data|website=Mozilla Support|access-date=August 31, 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222200928/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/technical-and-interaction-data |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> You can easily disable this with an [[opt-out]] option in the GUI settings.
However, some options cannot be conveniently disabled, and requires fiddling the settings in <code>about:config</code>. Some of these examples include:
*Integrated Pocket technology as a built-in extension, which in its Privacy Policy uses Google Analytics.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pocket|url=https://getpocket.com/privacy?t=privacypolicy|date=August 27, 2025|website=Pocket|access-date=August 31, 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251121184427/https://getpocket.com/privacy?t=privacypolicy |archive-date=21 Nov 2025}}</ref>
*Google Analytics in the browser.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Google Analytics is used to track users. #3145|url=https://github.com/mozilla/addons/issues/3145|website=GitHub|access-date=August 31, 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251118130843/https://github.com/mozilla/addons/issues/3145 |archive-date=18 Nov 2025}}</ref> Firefox stated they will not "give the 'data directly to Google'" but will "[collect] aggregate and non-identifiable data in numbers to ensure our development/UX changes are met well. [...] We need some data, anonymised and aggregated, to do this."
===User freedom===
*Heavily configurable via <code>about:config</code>.


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].


===Example incident one (''date'')===
===Removal of custom toolbars (2014)===
{{Main|link to the main article}}
In April 2014, Mozilla released Firefox version 29, codenamed ''Australis''. With it came the first major redesign since version 4 from 2011. The most visible difference were the rounded tabs.<ref>[https://www.trustedreviews.com/opinion/firefox-29-what-s-new-2912074 Firefox 29: What’s new and should you try it? &#x7c; Trusted Reviews]</ref>
Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).


===Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox (''02/27/2025'')<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varma |first=Ajit |date=2025-02-26 |title=Introducing a terms of use and updated privacy notice for Firefox |url=https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/firefox-terms-of-use/ |url-status=live |website=https://blog.mozilla.org/}}</ref>===
With it, the ability to add custom toolbars with custom shortcut buttons was removed, reportedly due to low usage. However, this goes contrary to the promise of a customizable web browser. This change meant shortcut buttons could only be added to the same row as the URL bar, the tab bar, or the bookmark bar, taking space away from them. A separate tool bar dedicated for tool shortcuts could no longer be added.<ref>[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=948043 948043 - Re-Introduce custom toolbar] (bugzilla.mozilla.org)</ref>
On February 26th, 2025 Mozilla announced in their blog that they are introducing Terms of Use to Firefox, effective June 10th, 2025. <ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-02-26 |title=Firefox Terms of Use |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=Mozilla}}</ref> Their reasoning is to "give [the user] more transparency over [their] rights and permissions as [they] use Firefox". In the same blog post they announce an update to their Privacy Policy.
 
===Mandatory add-on signing (2016)===
In 2015, Mozilla introduced extension signing (add-on signing) to Firefox, meaning the browser would show a warning if the user ran an extension not approved by Mozilla. This was later expanded to block the extension, but the user was able to override it by modifying an <code>about:config</code> property. In 2016, Mozilla took that option away as well. This means Mozilla is able to remotely disable extensions, removing ownership from the end user.
 
Shortly after extension signing was announced, the user base already responded negatively, stating how this would limit the freedom of power users.<ref>[https://archive.today/2024.01.22-024009/https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2015/02/10/extension-signing-safer-experience/ Introducing Extension Signing: A Safer Add-on Experience &#x7C; Mozilla Add-ons Community Blog]</ref>
 
On May 3rd, 2019, a technical issue with Mozilla's add-on signing service forcibly disabled all extensions of every Firefox instance connected to the Internet (excluding older versions that predate add-on signing).
 
In March 2025, Firefox versions before 128 (and <abbr title="Extended Support Release">ESR</abbr> 115) were rendered defective as a result of Mozilla no longer providing extension signing support for those versions, resulting in them losing the ability to run extensions.
 
<ref>[https://digdeeper.club/articles/mozilla.xhtml#historyofcontrol Mozilla - Devil Incarnate - History of anti-control] - Dig Deeper ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260211220133/https://digdeeper.club/articles/mozilla.xhtml Archived])</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/2016.04.20-194222/https://wiki.mozilla.org/Add-ons/Extension_Signing Add-ons/Extension Signing - MozillaWiki (2016-04-20)]</ref>
 
===Removal of XUL extensions (2017)===
Starting with Firefox 57 "Quantum", released in November 2017, extensions using the XUL/XPCOM format were no longer supported, only those in the WebExtensions format.<ref>[https://techtea.io/articles/2017/firefox-quantum-web-extensions/ Tech Tea - Firefox Quantum and Web Extensions]</ref>
 
The XUL format was the main format for Firefox extensions up to that point, allowing for a degree of customization of the web browser's appearance and behaviour that extensions in the WebExtensions format do not support, and that set Firefox apart from other web browsers like Chrome and Internet Explorer at that time, such as custom toolbars and multiple rows of tabs. The extension "TabMix Plus", then highly popular, heavily made use of this functionality.<ref>[https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2015/08/21/the-future-of-developing-firefox-add-ons/ The Future of Developing Firefox Add-ons &#x7c; Mozilla Add-ons Blog]</ref><ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_Mix_Plus Tab Mix Plus - Wikipedia]</ref>
 
According to a former Mozilla developer, the main reason for removing XUL was that giving extensions that much control over the behaviour of the web browser was a security risk.<ref>[https://yoric.github.io/post/why-did-mozilla-remove-xul-addons/ Why Did Mozilla Remove XUL Add-ons?]</ref>
 
A fork of Firefox was developed with the aim to maintain support for legacy XUL extensions, WaterFox, but it was discontinued in late 2022 and renamed to "Waterfox Classic". WaterFox versions after then  do not suppport legacy extensions.<ref>[https://classic.waterfox.net/ Waterfox Classic]</ref>
 
===Removal of icons from the main menu (2022)===
Firefox version 89, code named "Proton", brought the first major redesign since version 57 "Quantum". One of the changes were the removal of icons from the text labels in the main menu, leaving text-only labels. There was a Mozilla Connect post that the community manager recognized has "quickly received a great deal of votes" that described wanting menu icons back, or an option to enable it, given that they receive more visual clues to work and thus speed finding the needed menu item.<ref>[https://connect.mozilla.org:443/t5/ideas/bring-back-menu-icons/idi-p/46 Bring back menu icons - Mozilla Connect]</ref> By not implementing this suggestion, the average user has to put more effort into finding the wanted menu option.{{Citation needed|reason=Low reliability|date=27 Mar 2026}}<ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/nsooaf/why_would_you_folks_remove_icons_from_the_menu/ Why would you folks remove icons from the menu? : firefox] - Reddit</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1i3vcbj/how_have_they_still_not_returned_the_menu_icons/ How have they still not returned the menu icons to Firefox Desktop? : firefox]</ref> In comparison, the mobile version of Firefox, as well as the other major web browsers (Edge, Chrome desktop, Chrome mobile) do have icons in their main menus.{{Citation needed|date=27 Mar 2026}}
 
===Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox (''2025.02.27'')===
{{Main|Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox}}
On 25 February 2025 Mozilla announced in their blog that they are introducing Terms of Use to Firefox, effective 10 June 2025. <ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-02-26 |title=Firefox Terms of Use |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=Mozilla |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260112211331/https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |archive-date=12 Jan 2026}}</ref> Their reasoning is to "give [the user] more transparency over [their] rights and permissions as [they] use Firefox".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varma |first=Ajit |date=2025-02-26 |title=Introducing a terms of use and updated privacy notice for Firefox |url=https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/firefox-terms-of-use/ |url-status=live |website=Mozilla Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111132423/https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/firefox-terms-of-use/ |archive-date=11 Jan 2026}}</ref> In the same blog post they announce an update to their Privacy Policy.


Under section "Mozilla Can Update or Terminate This Agreement" in the ToS, it is announced that updates to it will be posted online, and continued use of Firefox is taken as the user's acceptance of the new terms. No mention is made of any other commitment to notify the user (in-browser notification, etc.). In the next section, "Termination", it is explicitly stated that Mozilla will "try to notify [the user]" at their email address or next time they try to access their account, in case Mozilla denies or suspend anyone's access to Firefox.
Under section "Mozilla Can Update or Terminate This Agreement" in the ToS, it is announced that updates to it will be posted online, and continued use of Firefox is taken as the user's acceptance of the new terms. No mention is made of any other commitment to notify the user (in-browser notification, etc.). In the next section, "Termination", it is explicitly stated that Mozilla will "try to notify [the user]" at their email address or next time they try to access their account, in case Mozilla denies or suspend anyone's access to Firefox.
===Mozilla removed the "nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license" in the Firefox TOS (2025.06.10)===
On 10 June 2025 Mozilla has removed the "nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license" in the "[https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/#you-give-mozilla-certain-rights-and-permissions You Give Mozilla Certain Rights and Permissions]" page of where the controversial [[terms of service]] clause used to be last seen<ref>{{Cite web |title=Firefox: About Your Rights |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515140703/https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/firefox/ |archive-date=15 May 2025 |access-date=20 Oct 2025 |website=Mozilla}}</ref> on 15 March 2025. It is currently unknown why this change was made, as of current writing.
==Alternatives==
*[https://floorp.app/en-US Floorp]
*[https://librewolf.net/ LibreWolf]
*[https://mullvad.net/browser Mullvad Browser]
*[https://zen-browser.app/ Zen Browser]


==See also==
==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}
*[[Brave browser|Brave]]
 
*[[DuckDuckGo Browser|DuckDuckGo Browser]]
*[[Google Chrome]]
*[[Microsoft Edge]]


==References==
==References==
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Firefox"