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.

[Dave_Neve]

I don't agree with Mozilla banning Russia Times (RT) at all.
Most people don't know how unbiased RT is compared to other websites like Fox News or The Voice of America. Okay they might not be openly hostile to President Putin, but they covered all the subjects that many people believe falsely that they avoid, and in a very informative way.
I don't want Mozilla telling me what to read and we've seen how unfair Western governments are by letting Israel compete in the Eurovision Song Contest or the Olympics while Russia is banned.

Russia has wanted peace for years. It's NATO who are the warmongers.

[TheLoveYeti]

This thread is unrelated to the RT Firefox add-on. Russia, who you apparently are a fan of, arrests and even kills people who disagree, speak against, or organize politically against Putin. That is why these particular addons are important. It allows them to get news that is not state sponsored (Putin) spin and an ability to communicate with like-minded folks somewhat safely.

As for NATO, If watching RT has lead you to believe that NATO are the aggressors and Russia is a protector of freedom, then RT is pure propaganda. Russia wants peace? Who invaded Ukraine? 

NATO has nothing to do with the Olympics, Eurovision, or Israel. You'll find that most of the Western governments, excepting the United States, have spoken out strongly against Netanyahu's continued war in Gaza. You can look at their votes at the UN (United Nations) to verify.

[Dave_Neve]

You have been watching too much Fox News. You need to take a step back and look at some facts starting with the native Indians that were killed, followed by the slave trade and even when that finally stopped, there was segregation.

And then there are the countless right wing dictators in South America helped by the US, the regular bombing of other countries across the world by the US, and now it's helping Israel to carry out genocide of the Palestinians.

If NATO and Western governments have nothing to do with the boycott on Russia, but not on Israel, tell me who is then?

Gorbachev and Yeltsin wanted peace and so did Putin but you have spat on all of them.

[TheLoveYeti]

Lol. I'm a Leftist. I avoid Faux News except when there are clips of the latest outrageous thing they've said or claimed.

The US does things that are separate from NATO as do member countries. I don't think you understand NATO. The history of Israel, which has nothing to do with NATO, is long and frought with pitfalls, all of which I cannot and don't have the energy to try to address here. You're oversimplifying things.

[Ceres]

1. That UN must get rid of permanent members to the Security Council. It has a bight on the UN mission.

[Ceres]

Agreed, no news shall be banned - I believe it is the right of one's own decision what to read and believe. I am a big support of the ACLU and they will even defend Nazis to express themselves. I do not be believe Tsar Putin wants peace for a moment. I was God Emperor of Earth, I would disband NATO along with all nuclear process in our Biosphere, but I do not live in that world. That said, I call on Putin to return all his forces to Russia - the Russia borders of 2010 and hold truly fair and free elections. In return, ban NATO and negotiate a treaty where nations disarm to 100 nuclear weapon maximum, and eventually ZERO. Or something like that. But Mozilla stay neutral!

[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.

[Ceres]

Would it make things worse? A country is free to have a Great Firewall but I want my favorite browser to fair, honest, and free and all local laws be damned.

[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.