Mozilla responded to users’ reaction to the new Terms of Use of the Firefox Web browser, which critics have called on the use of overly wide language that seems to give the browser manufacturer the rights to any data you enter or upload. The company says the new terms are not a change in the way Mozilla uses data, but is intended to formalize its relationship with the user, clearly stating what users agree when using Firefox.
On Wednesday, browser The manufacturer was introduced a new Terms of Use and was informed Privacy For Firefox, saying that he wanted to provide users more transparency over their rights and rights to the agreements, as well as to provide a more detailed explanation of his practical data.
“We tried to do these easy to read and understand – there must be no surprises on how we work or how our product works,” the company’s blog post said.
However, there was some confusion about this – so much confusion, in fact, that the company had to inform its post on the blog to declare that its terms do not give the property data or the right to use it beyond what is mentioned in the privacy alert.
Users who read the new terms were upset by the changes, showing the vague and seemingly built -in language used by Mozilla that said (our own emphasis): “When uploading or entering information through Firefox, give you To help you browse, live and interact with online content as you indicate using Firefox. ”
As number of critics sharp This statement seems quite wide.
Brendan Eich, co -founder and chief executive of a browser software, responded to Mozilla’s updated terms, writing “WTF” in a post on x. He also suggested that Mozilla’s wording is related to a business axis to allow Firefox to generate revenue from AI data and other uses.
TechCrunch has asked Mozilla to clarify whether the terms now indicate that user data is provided to AI or advertisers. Our company told us that its alert for privacy is still valid when using AI features and content data is not shipped to Mozilla or elsewhere. In addition, the data shared with advertisers are de-tired, he said.
“These changes are not driven by Mozilla’s desire to use people’s data for AI or sell it to advertisers,” said Mozilla Kenya Friend-Daniel in an e-mail at TechCrunch. “As he says in the Terms of Use, we ask the user to use his data to work Firefox” as you indicate using Firefox “. This means that our ability to use data is still limited by what we reveal to the privacy notice.”
Privacy notice states that Firefox can collect technically and interactions on how AI Chatbots are used.
The spokesman told TechCrunch that if users choose to choose to use third -party Chatbots with Firefox, the third will process their data in accordance with their own policies. Other AI features in Firefox operate locally on user devices, the spokesman said and do not send “content data to Mozilla or elsewhere”.
Mozilla also clarified how it operates with advertisers, explaining that it sells advertising to Firefox as part of the way it finances the development of the browser.
“It is part of Mozilla’s focus to build advertising products to protect privacy that improve optimum practices across the industry,” the spokesman said. “In cases where we serve ads on Firefox surfaces (such as the new tab page) we only collect and share data as set out in the Privacy Notification, which states that we only distribute data with our advertising partners on a de-recognized or centralized basis.”
The company said users can withdraw from their data processing for advertising purposes by disabled a “technical and interaction data” setting in both both desktop and mobile at all times.
Mozilla also clarified why she used certain terms, saying that the term “nonxclusive” was used to indicate that Mozilla does not want an exclusive permission for users’ data, because users should be able to do other things with this data.
“Free Free” was used because Firefox is free, and neither Mozilla nor the user must have to each other in exchange for handling the data to provide the browser. And “Worldwide” was used because Firefox is available worldwide and provides access to the world internet.
Despite Mozilla’s assurances that new policies do not change the way Mozilla uses the data, people will probably continue to question why the terms use such a wide language. As a result, some may shift their browser to elsewhere.
This could be bad news for Firefox. His browser has only 2.54% share of the world market for browser as it is, coming behind Chrome (67%), Safari (17.95%) and Edge (5.2%).
