The company has altered its long-standing promise that Firefox is designed to protect user privacy, and it has softened previous assurances about not selling user data.
The company softened its statement about never selling user data. Users criticized new terms granting Mozilla a license to use their input data. Mozilla says the license is needed for Firefox’s basic functionality.
However, ArsTechnica notes that the updated version clarifies that Mozilla is no longer making definitive claims about not selling data due to broad legal definitions of “sale” in certain jurisdictions. The company did not specify which jurisdictions have these broad legal definitions. ArsTechnica reports that Mozilla’s updated terms of use have sparked criticism. One clause states that users grant Mozilla a license to use uploaded or inputted information to improve their browsing experience. The clause reads: “When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and interact with online content as you indicate with your use of Firefox.” Users voiced their concerns on GitHub, Reddit, and Mozilla’s discussion forum. ArsTechnica reports that one user responded: “You cannot ask your users to give you these broad rights to their data. This agreement, as currently written, is not acceptable.” In response to the backlash, Mozilla clarified its position in a blog post on Wednesday, stating that the license is necessary for Firefox’s core functions, as reported by ArsTechnica. Another point of contention is Mozilla’s handling of location-related keywords. The updated privacy policy states that Mozilla may receive and share such keywords with partners to provide recommended and sponsored content, as reported by ArsTechnica. The company claims that these keywords are anonymized before being shared. ArsTechnica notes that users have the option to disable this functionality by turning off Sponsored Suggestions in Firefox settings. Despite Mozilla’s explanations, many users remain unconvinced. Mozilla has yet to provide further clarification on these policy changes, says ArsTechnica.
