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Mozilla is already revising its new Firefox terms to clarify how it handles user data (www.theverge.com)
submitted 3 months ago by Xatolos@reddthat.com to c/technology@lemmy.world
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AI Summary:

Overview:

  • Mozilla is updating its new Terms of Use for Firefox due to criticism over unclear language about user data.
  • Original terms seemed to give Mozilla broad ownership of user data, causing concern.
  • Updated terms emphasize limited scope of data interaction, stating Mozilla only needs rights necessary to operate Firefox.
  • Mozilla acknowledges confusion and aims to clarify their intent to make Firefox work without owning user content.
  • Company explains they don't make blanket claims of "never selling data" due to evolving legal definitions and obligations.
  • Mozilla collects and shares some data with partners to keep Firefox commercially viable, but ensures data is anonymized or shared in aggregate.
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[-] Lifter@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 3 months ago

I would definitely call that selling my data. The recipient can now add that to my profile as an interest.

[-] ArchRecord@lemm.ee 0 points 3 months ago

The recipient doesn't get any identifying data about you, because the data that shows the link was clicked does not identify you as an individual, since it's passed through privacy-preserving protocols.

To further clarify the exact data available to any party:

  • The ad marketplace only knows that someone, somewhere clicked the link.
  • Mozilla knows that roughly x users have clicked sponsored links overall.
  • The company you went to from that sponsored link knows that your IP/browser visited at X time, and you clicked through a sponsored link from the ad marketplace

There isn't much of a technical difference between this, and someone seeing an ad in-person where they type in a link, from a practical privacy perspective.

Their implementation is completely different from traditional profile/tracking-based methods of advertising.

this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2025
665 points (97.6% liked)

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