Mozilla sucking up to Russia

[NosmoKing]

  I noted in /. this morning that Mozilla is now a Russian stooge. The Mozilla I knew and trusted would not have done that. I've used Mozilla browsers exclusively since 1200baud was fast, defended Mozilla in innumerable conversations with friends and colleagues, been advocating for Mo as necessary. Seeing the news that Mozilla is bending over for the Russians is hugely offensive to me. I'm already exploring what other browser I might tolerate when I remove Firefox from my computers.

  I'm very reluctant to do that, but it's my only real option that might mean something to Mozilla. I urge any- and everyone to join me, if enough of us take action maybe Mozilla could see they're choosing Russia over the users in the real world. Please don't silently accept Mozilla's arbitrary decision to let Putin's lunacy determine what decent people and orgs do.

[JewelDo]

I support this point of view.  Google's old motto was "do no evil."  They walked away from that.  Firefox took up that banner.  Now is not the time to abandon that.

There's a trend in Silicon Valley towards authoritarianism.  We cannot be part of that, IRL or virtually.

If that means no presence in totalitarian countries, then so be it. Keep our firewalls  up, and stand our ground.  We need to be the entity people can TRUST.  That's who Mozilla is supposed to be.  That's a CHOICE, and Mozillia needs to keep making the right choice, NOT make the wrong choice out of some kind of poverty mentality, where  we think we "can't afford" to do what we already KNOW is the right thing - so we stoop down to doing the wrong thing.

[Ceres]

I just saw the article at Slashdot (https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/06/13/0333251/firefox-browser-blocks-anti-censorship-add-ons-at-ru...) and yeah, it pisses me out. I thought Mozilla was better this! I want all Mozilla software to support free speech for all and across the whole planet and the Big Brothers of the World be damned.

[TheLoveYeti]

I stay with Firefox primarily because of its stands on privacy and internet freedom. Please do not make it impossible to find a browser that offers an alternative to bad corporate policy.

Here's an article from The Intercept:
https://theintercept.com/2024/06/12/mozilla-firefox-russia-censorship-blocked/

[Riverguy]

If Mozilla does not comply with the laws of the countries where it operates it could be heavily fined or blocked altogether, which would be even worse for the local users. Mozilla could withdraw from the country, which would also be worse for local users, leaving them with no access rather than the disatasteful limited access.

[TheLoveYeti]

According to the Intercept article I included above, the same add-ons that Firefox removed from its store are still available on Chromium based browsers at this time. That could change, but Firefox is leading the pack in the wrong direction, imo.

[TheLoveYeti]

For folks following this topic, Mozilla has reversed course. Thank you, Mozilla!

https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/14/mozilla_firefox_russia/

[szettner]

I just read about this on Vasya Oblomov's Facebook page. The VPNs are the only way that sane and honest Russians can get decent news free of state propaganda. As am American, I am so offended that Mozilla would do this. Any ideas of who to complain to?

I thought I would try the help page, but this just seems to be a forum page.

It seems to me that discontinuing VPNS is directly at odds with their foundation's manifesto: "The internet is a global public resource that must remain open and accessible."

I wonder if this policy does not violate their Conflict of Interest Policy, which seems to be about behavior that undermines their credibility. I certainly think this policy undermines their credibility. I think I will mention this on Oblomov's post.

https://assets.mofoprod.net/network/documents/Conflict_of_Interest_Policy_2022_May_2022.pdf

[TheLoveYeti]

Mozilla reversed course and reinstated the add-ons.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/14/mozilla_firefox_russia/

[Ceres]

YYYYYEEEESSSS! Thank you, Mozilla!!!!!!

[Ceres]

Very good points there, szetter! Check that document I see that, "Foundation is subject to specific federal and state laws and rules governing certain transactions as a non profit public benefit corporation under California law...". Maybe contact the ACLU of California about this? I dunno.