Information about the New Terms of Use and Updated Privacy Notice for Firefox

[AshleyT]

For the first time, we’re introducing a Terms of Use for Firefox, alongside an updated Privacy Notice.

Earlier today, we published a blog post explaining why we’re making this change and what it means for you.

Now, we want to hear from you.

We’re committed to engaging with our community and keeping you informed about how we build Firefox—and why we make the decisions we do. Firefox wouldn’t be where it is today without the support of our users, and we want to continue working together to build a better internet for all.

To kick off the discussion, here are a few key points from the blog post:

• Transparency matters. We’re introducing a Terms of Use to provide clarity on what users agree to before starting to browse.
• Privacy remains a priority. Our updated Privacy Notice gives a more detailed, easy-to-read explanation of our data practices.
• You stay in control. Firefox is designed to respect user choice, with responsible defaults and simple tools to manage your data.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Check out the full blog post and share your feedback here. If you have any questions, let us know—we’ll be actively monitoring the discussion and will reply where we can.

Update

Thank you all for taking the time to share your questions and reactions. We’ve been listening and made some updates to address areas of concern. I’ve started a new discussion topic covering what’s changed in the Terms of Use based on your feedback, and clearing up a few points of confusion.

[seva]

Mozilla is afraid to depend on the community because then it would have to report to the community. And the community wants to know all the articles Mozilla spends money on.

And the community wants Mozilla to spend money on implementing the community's wishes first. But Mozilla wants to spend money on AI and on selling user data under the name "privacy-preserving attribution."

[j0s]

Mozilla is a SJW company using Firefox to generate money, not a browser company. 

[DigglyWiggly]

I just registered to write my opinion about this. I never, ever thought that Mozilla would do something shi**bleep**ty like this. No, I won't bleep out this word, I'm mature enough to use them.

EDIT: edited as it automatically bleeps it
Insanity. It's not about money guys, they have money. Years ago I switched to LibreWolf and I regret not switching to it sooner.
One of the last companies that I trusted, you morons, you're almost the last bastion for people who want to have at least some last bits of privacy on the internet. Do you know what you're doing? Do you realize how much you harm people with your stupid decisions? Do you know realize that people count on you?
Instead of taking advantage of situation (with chrome), you're literally ruining everything. Did your CEO got some huge transfer from Google? Otherwise I can't explain what's happening. I'll be using LibreWolf for as long as it's possible and then switch to something like Ladybug when it'll be mature enough.
I used Firefox itself since the beginning of its existence. Some stupid CEO people are coming in out of nowehere and ruining everything with their decisions that devs were making for decades.
Even if you'll take it back now, the damage is done. People will NOT forget it, this isn't some stupid Reddit or similar service. This is software that meant everything for some, their window to the world, literally. How can you be so stupid (and selfish if you took some extra money from somoenoe) to ruin it last bastion of privacy when it comes to browsers. Librewolf won't be maintained if something even worse would happen to Firefox in the future. They're small group of people there, probably the same would happen with other forks. By the way I recommend watching Louis's video on Odysee:
https://odysee.com/@rossmanngroup:a/mozilla-lost-touch-with-reality-how:7

[BenCos18]

I have the same opinion also 

I'm done with using any Mozilla software now 

[mattspawn1975]

I've already >90% implemented and rolled over my work computer, home computer, and wife's computer to LibreWolf. Mozilla has lost my respect, while the CEO gets a fat >$1M raise every year for what? Losing market share?  And then try to pull a number like this? Talk about not knowing your customer.

[seva]

In my opinion, Mozilla became independent of the community during the Google funding days and got used to spinning the community on green scaly d***k. The Firefox rejection rate, I think, surprised Mozilla, so this week they will offer us even more vague legalese.

[carbohydrates]

This is unacceptable xoming from a company like Mozilla for a web browser which does not need to collect any of our personal information. The company's response and reasoning are suspect. This shouldn't be accepted with open arms by anyone as proposed.

[muchwhales]

I realize it is pointless, but just on the off chance that someone with the authority to decide what the PR people should be communicating to the wider Mozilla community cares enough to change strategies:

Have you tried it with honesty? People won't like your decision any more, emotionally speaking, but if they also feel like you're bull**bleep**ting them (which they do, and you probably are), they're even less likely to think about the reasons for why you're making this change in a favorable light. People generally don't hear what you say, but what they think you're saying. Your goal should be to make it very difficult to misunderstand you.

Actionable steps:

1. Do not veil the information you're trying to communicate in ambiguity, or lengthy prose
2. Do not post it across several different media, blog posts, etc. - one location only. No confusion possible
3. Do not respond to people's concerns with vagueness, "empty" (low-entropy) words. Less is better
4. Structure your text so that the most critical information is also the most visible. Cut the fluff
5. Include the real reason in brief, clear wording if you can. Say that you can't disclose it otherwise (and why)
6. Don't include qualifiers that can be interpreted only with context that the readers don't have
7. Don't let marketing people write about decisions someone else has made as if they had the full context
8. Don't explain things that no one asked about, or refute arguments no one has made as a "defense"

Example (from your lastest blog posts):

> In order to make Firefox commercially viable, there are a number of places where we collect and share some data with our partners, including our optional ads on New Tab and providing sponsored suggestions in the search bar. We set all of this out in our Privacy Notice. Whenever we share data with our partners, we put a lot of work into making sure that the data that we share is stripped of potentially identifying information, or shared only in the aggregate, or is put through our privacy preserving technologies (like OHTTP). 

What you're saying:
We need money. We'll sell user data to get it. We do our best to anonymize it first. Details here: (Links)

Your text is very low in entropy. And it violates all of the hints I gave above. What readers want to know:

* What do you mean with "commercially" viable? (How much will this help? What other options did you consider? Why is this deemed an appropriate solution to the problem and why not the others?)
* Where exactly is the data collected? How? What data exactly? Why? Who are those partners?  (TL;DR needed)
* Can I turn this data collection off? Can I see what is being collected? Maybe I can agree to send some data (after reviewing) or none at all, in return for reduced a feature set, or some other compromise?
* Are there any ways for the user to inspect the process of stripping, or aggregation, as far as it involves their data?
* Why should I bother to read the lengthy, fluff-filled "Privacy Notice" if your communicators aren't able (or allowed to) communicate clearly with the users? You're asking people to trust your intentions but you aren't even capable of communicating the most basic things in a way that would make people trust you

It's great that you explain technologies like OHTTP, but you're still making the same mistake here: "How does Mozilla utilize OHTTP for your benefit?" You do not utilize OHHTP for my benefit. You utilize it to your benefit, because it benefits me the most if you didn't collect any data at all. No OHTTP needed. If you're unwilling to concede this most basic point, what hope is there that anything else you're saying shouldn't be similarly dishonest? The only way you can come back from this utter disaster is if you change course.

Try honesty. Or don't.

[seva]

I think Mozilla hasn't communicated with the community for too long, and given the choice between bankruptcy and communication, it will choose bankruptcy.

[Comrade]

@muchwhales, You're whole post is wonderful. I appreciate you for taking all that time to lay out everything so clearly. You're text below really strikes me as the crux of the argument for everyone. Thank you for stating it so clearly.

@muchwhales wrote:

It's great that you explain technologies like OHTTP, but you're still making the same mistake here: "How does Mozilla utilize OHTTP for your benefit?" You do not utilize OHHTP for my benefit. You utilize it to your benefit, because it benefits me the most if you didn't collect any data at all. No OHTTP needed. If you're unwilling to concede this most basic point, what hope is there that anything else you're saying shouldn't be similarly dishonest?

---

[pg_78]

---

@muchwhales wrote:

1. Do not veil the information you're trying to communicate in ambiguity, or lengthy prose
3. Do not respond to people's concerns with vagueness, "empty" (low-entropy) words. Less is better
4. Structure your text so that the most critical information is also the most visible. Cut the fluff
5. Include the real reason in brief, clear wording if you can. Say that you can't disclose it otherwise (and why)
6. Don't include qualifiers that can be interpreted only with context that the readers don't have

---

And a meta-step: write in your own words, without using LLMs.

All the goals above are very difficult to achieve if you outsource your communication to ChatGPT and allow it to turn everything into patronising, evasive corporate-speak.
 

[StarPilot87]

Sounds like I should consider other browser options. Shame since I've been using FireFox for over 20 years. I had dumped Internet Explorer (and by proxy Edge) long ago. Its only use was to download FireFox on a new system. Even when I used Mac OS (way back in 10.0 cats) Opera was mainly a "download FireFox" use. Never used Chrome or any variant of it because why give info to Google? Mozilla has never needed a license to use until now. With the Department of Government Extinction going on a tear through the US federal government compromising the security of hundreds of millions of people, this is just another nail in the coffin of my use of the internet. Maybe I should use the browser on my KaiOS flip phone, or the built in browser on my 3DS. That might be more secure than FireFox is with this update.

[ZharkoGjurov]

Секоја надлежна служба е должна да го разбере владетелот односно владетелите во секое време, па така ние Владетел Жарко и Владетелка Лилјана ја известуваме Mozilla дека предметната промена во однос на приватноста на Mozilla која е направена е направена од страна на лицето Густаво Перез што е идентитет на лицето Каден/Кадо Аленија и измената е направена физички лично од негова страна во просториите на средното училиште Гимназија „Кочо Рацин“ во град Велес, Република Македонија / Северна Македонија злоупотребувајќи дигитални акредитиви спротивно на нашата владетелска волја.

Се наредува на техничкиот тим на Mozilla да ги врати поставките за приватност во претходната состојба веднаш и без одлагање, а наделжните служби да поведат постапка за оштетување и неовластено навлегување во компјутерски систем, злоупотреба на лични податоци, шпионажа, како и за злоупотреба на времето што се гони по Владетелскиот посебен дел од кривичните законици.

Непостапувањето по оваа наредба ќе се казни од страна на Директорат ОРГ.

Датум: 06 март 2025 година,
Владетел Жарко и Владетелка Лилјана.

[Ronbo]

What if I dont want my data shared? I value my privacy and have had enough of the relentless scourge of spam and unwanted attempts to contact me for products I have no use or desire for. The fact that you may share my browsing history with marketers makes me think you do not feel the same way about my privacy. This is deeply disturbing and frankly it makes me reconsider using Mozilla products.

[ErzeFranz0]

I'm sorry. You take my data and use it for your own purposes? I'm not using Firefox again. I've already switched away. Why the terms of use, anyway? And why are you burying plain English under piles of lawyer-talk? I don't trust you snots.

[JSSM]

Then leave! stop wasting time here if you hate hem that much!

[uninstalled_ff]

Good bye, firefox.
I only used firefox, but now it's time for the moment.
No plan to return.