Firefox: Difference between revisions

Line 15:

===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}}</ref> You can easily disable this with an [[opt-out]] option in the GUI settings.

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}}</ref>

*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}}</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."

*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===

Line 37:

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</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>

<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>

===Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox (''02/27/2025'')===

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".<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}}</ref> In the same blog post they announce an update to their Privacy Policy.

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 |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.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 {{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}}</ref> You can easily disable this with an [[opt-out]] option in the GUI settings.
+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}}</ref>
+*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}}</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."
+*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===
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 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</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>
+<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>
 ===Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox (''02/27/2025'')===
 {{Main|Mozilla introduces TOS to Firefox}}
-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".<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}}</ref> In the same blog post they announce an update to their Privacy Policy.
+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 |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.