I don’t see anything saying what will prevent the “aggregation service” from exploiting the data goldmine falling into its lap.
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Apparently (I assume), this ISRG project is the particular technology used: About Divvi Up - Divvi Up
About ISRG: About Internet Security Research Group - Internet Security Research Group
ISRG Sponsors and Donors: Sponsors and Donors - Internet Security Research Group
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What really bothers me is how the webpage contradicts with the Firefox Data Collection and Use in about:preferences#privacy:
I plan on dealing with this with my own Firefox Profile, user.js, and policies.json sometime in the near future.
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I think amarok was ahead of this but… since Firefox 128.0 you have a new setup and to uncheck some Setting called: Website Advertising Preferences
Apply websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement
This helps sites understand how ads perform without collecting data about your.
and on Firefox 128.0 its enabled by default.
Edit: I am 4 days behind. ;D Sorry i should follow the thread to the end and not only the last three posts. And visit this forum more often. Thank you Amarok and FranklyFlawless!
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+1 for simply using LibreWolf on GNU+Linux and Mull on GrapheneOS. They’re based on FF but with a multitude of privacy and security enhancements.
P.S. remember not to use the browser DNS settings when using a VPN as the latter has it’s own. The good ones like AirVPN allow you to enable various block lists on your account page on their site. MozillaVPN (which I also pay for) allows three options blocking.
Oh. I totally forgot to say that it might be a good thing they buy stuff like this because then technically they can still do stuff in-house. I want them to be more like Brave and go the extra ten miles.
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Now, if only LibreWolf would release an ARM version…
+1 for AirVPN and their DNS filtering options.
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Here’s something related to this thread from the legal proceedings of Google monopoly: Google's Monopoly Lawsuit Could Threaten Mozilla Firefox's Existence: Here's Why
Since G has paid hundreds of millions to have its global position (probably 95-85% of Mozilla’s and Firefox development funding) and that practice now questioned, it may be a harsh reality check on the budged side, and pretty soon after, on any app and app ecosystem related to Mozilla (forks included).
I’m wishing for G to crumble (dreaming) but also wondering how bad this can go for open and free software…
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mobile-config-firefox has this issue covered in their latest commit for policies.json:
I currently have a private Codeberg repository for a Firefox profile, so my plan is to make it public once I have enumerated enough user.js configuration values for feature-parity against @arkenfox, @yokoffing, and @pyllyukko, alongside deploying at least a DNS-over-HTTPS(/2) server.
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It seems Mozilla has found a new revenue stream for Firefox: AI assistants - expect one to land to browser near you. Interestingly, they claim some of the AI features would be locally made, although large models surely will have to run in cloud, I’d imagine.
" Whether it’s a local or a cloud-based model, if you want to use AI, we think you should have the freedom to use (or not use) the tools that best suit your needs. With that in mind, this week, we will launch an opt-in experiment offering access to preferred AI services in Nightly for improved productivity as you browse. Instead of juggling between tabs or apps for assistance, those who have opted-in will have the option to access their preferred AI service from the Firefox sidebar to summarize information, simplify language, or test their knowledge, all without leaving their current web page.
Our initial offering will include ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat, and Le Chat Mistral, but we will continue adding AI services that meet our standards for quality and user experience.
Providing choice in AI services is important for many reasons. First, you should be able to choose the service that works best for you, and not be locked into a single provider. Second, all of these models are still being developed and improved. None are perfect, and each has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Offering options gives people an opportunity to experiment with many services to find the one that’s most helpful in solving the problem they have. AI is an ingredient that can make your experience better; it doesn’t need to replace the tools you already know and love."
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In principle, I am not opposed to such a thing as an opt-in service. But IMO firefox (and most other browsers) is already far too bloated.
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Latest update on Mozilla’s implementation of their Privacy-Preserving Attribution (PPA) in Firefox 128:
Well-known in Europe, Austrian privacy activists NYOB (None Of Your Business) has filed a complaint with Austrian data protection authority against Moz for enabling their new PPA feature in Firefox without explicitly seeking users’ consent (opt-in by default)
Excerpts:
“Contrary to its reassuring name, this technology allows Firefox to track user behavior on websites,” noyb said. “In essence, the browser is now controlling the tracking, rather than individual websites.”
Noyb also called out Mozilla for allegedly taking a leaf out of Google’s playbook by “secretly” enabling the feature by default without informing users.
It further noted that a Mozilla developer justified the move by claiming that users cannot make an informed decision and that “explaining a system like PPA would be a difficult task.”
To which justification, data protection lawyer at noyb said:
It’s a shame that an organization like Mozilla believes that users are too dumb to say yes or no
Some fun ahead…
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