Mozilla has introduced changes to its Terms of Use (TOU) and Privacy Notice for Firefox, addressing community concerns about licensing and data sharing. The updates aim to clarify how Mozilla uses user data.
The new language states that users grant Mozilla the rights necessary to operate Firefox, including processing their data as outlined in the Firefox Privacy Notice. This includes a non-exclusive license for the content input by users, without giving Mozilla ownership of that content.
Mozilla has also removed references to its Acceptable Use Policy, citing confusion. The company’s updated Privacy FAQ aims to address concerns around terms like “selling” data. According to Mozilla, it does not sell user data in the classical sense and instead shares some data with partners for commercial viability.
The company’s decision is driven by changing interpretations of “sale of data” laws across various US jurisdictions. While Mozilla has long supported data privacy laws, the company wants to ensure that its business model aligns with these regulations.
In practice, this means that Firefox collects and shares some data with partners while taking steps to remove identifying information or sharing aggregated data. The company emphasizes its commitment to providing sensible default settings for users to review and adjust during onboarding or at any time.
These updates aim to strike a balance between Mozilla’s commercial needs and user concerns about data protection.
Source: https://blog.mozilla.org/en/products/update-on-terms-of-use