Mozilla has faced backlash from its community after updating its Terms of Use and Privacy Notice to remove a promise not to sell user data. The change, made after community concerns over the language used in the new terms, now states that Mozilla “does not give Mozilla any ownership” of the data users input into Firefox.
The updates come after Ajit Varma, vice president of Firefox Product, acknowledged that the original language was unclear and created confusion among users. The changes aim to clarify how Mozilla uses user data to make Firefox work.
Mozilla’s earlier commitment not to sell user data sparked criticism from some who argue it has changed its stance. Varma explained that the company’s definition of “selling” data is broader than what most people would understand, leading to the update.
The move comes amidst significant changes within Mozilla, including new executive appointments and staff cuts at the non-profit foundation that oversees the organization. Despite this, some critics argue that Mozilla’s shift may not be far from Jamie Zawinski’s earlier assessments of the company’s stance on user data.
Users can explore alternative browsers based on the Firefox codebase, such as Waterfox, Zen browser, or LibreWolf.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/02/mozilla_introduces_terms_of_use