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Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

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Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#81

Post by kuschku »

potch wrote: post #78

Quick breakdown of what's going on here (I work at Mozilla, and have worked on the Add-ons site in the past): The "Get Add-ons" view in Firefox is an iframe to a page hosted by addons.mozilla.org. AMO, as all Mozilla sites, use GA to collect aggregate visitor statistics. We negotiated a special contract with Google [1] to only collect a subset of data and that that data is only used for statistical purposes. Google A…

That’s all fine and nice, but how did Mozilla Legal approve this in the first place?

It’s obvious this violates both the so-called "Cookie Law" and the Google Analytics ToS, as both require any page with tracking to specifically tell the user that they will track the user. And the so-called "Cookie Law" goes even further, and requires it to be directly done in a modal.

How did Mozilla, a company saying they fight for privacy, approve something that does not even meet the absolute minimum bar for privacy, the actual privacy laws?

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#82

Post by gcp »

lucideer wrote: post #71
gcp wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"performance, broad compatibility with websites" These are things which are greatly helped by having good analytics (Telemetry for the browser, analytics on your sites). You have to realize that to some extent these goals aren't mutually compatible. Developer resources don't appear out of thin air, even for open source software. Note how in the threads Mozilla explicitly acknowledges alternatives to GA.

I opt(ed) in to Firefox Telemetry for this reason (and will in future if this bug is satisfactorily fixed). I did not expect that would mean sending my data to 3rd parties I don't trust. Your comparison is a false equivalence, because it's not about telemetry vs privacy, it's about consent. If Mozilla devs adhered to the ethos of the company they took a job at they simply would not have implemented this feature.

It's only a false equivalence because you just moved your goalposts from "no tracking/analytics" in the original post to consent.

If Mozilla devs adhered to the ethos of the company they took a job at they simply would not have implemented this feature.

It looks as when the problem was reported, this was in fact the reaction: make it respect DNT. Using GA by itself rose no red flags because Mozilla has a privacy-enforcing deal with Google about it.

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#83

Post by Paul-ish »

gcp wrote: post #52
forgotpwtomain wrote: post #48

Interesting comment by Gorhill from the above discussion: >> I thought web extensions couldn't block that content. > I just ran a couple of tests, and I believe you are correct. > Legacy uBlock Origin can block the network request to GA. > However webext-hybrid uBO as per Network pane in dev tools does not block it. Same for pure webext Ghostery, the network request to GA was not blocked, again as per Network pane in…

Sounds like a bug to be filed. I'd encourage people to try the webext versions of those add-ons so we can catch things like this in time for 57.

How do I get the webextension version of uBO?

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#84

Post by gcp »

Paul-ish wrote: post #83
gcp wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like a bug to be filed. I'd encourage people to try the webext versions of those add-ons so we can catch things like this in time for 57.

How do I get the webextension version of uBO?

https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases

uBlock0.webext.xpi

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#85

Post by gcp »

ssivark wrote: post #74
michaelt wrote: post #22

Given Firefox's pro-privacy positioning vs Chrome [1] and the fact that, by virtue of being in about: these requests get sent even if the user is browsing in private browsing mode or has extensions installed explicitly to block this kind of traffic [2] it's surprising the Mozilla employees in that thread are so keen to dismiss this. [1] https://mobile.twitter.com/meatcomputer/status/8813107782251... [2] https://githu…

I can understand @tofumatt's desire to restrict that Github thread to the specific problem and its fix. However, given Mozilla's recent advertizing attempts slinging mud at Google/Chrome, it seems like they're asking for their credibility to be shredded publicly, in the media. This is an important enough matter that it deserves immediate escalation, to get a clear and coherent response at the organizational level tha…

All the features and technical improvements they might hope to ship in the next several months are irrelevant compared to this single issue.

Which "single issue" is that then? That AMO is using GA (and has been for years)? Or that TP doesn't work correctly for the in-browser UI?

I'm going to have to disagree with you there.

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#86

Post by kuschku »

dpcx wrote: post #73
tombrossman wrote: post #39

Google Analytics T&Cs[0] make it explicitly clear that users must disclose to visitors that they use it. "You must post a Privacy Policy and that Privacy Policy must provide notice of Your use of cookies that are used to collect data. You must disclose the use of Google Analytics, and how it collects and processes data." I know many people ignore it just like with all the other "I agree" check-boxes that pollute webs…

To be fair, there's a link to the Mozilla Privacy Policy at the bottom of every add-on page, that explicitly states that they may use analytics (and even names Google Analytics).

Currently there is no such link at the bottom the discovery page, this is still an open PR, and was created as response to this thread.

Additionally, this still violates the Cookie Law.

> The addressees of the obligation are Member States, who must ensure that the use of electronic communications networks to store information in a visitor's browser is only allowed if the user is provided with “clear and comprehensive information”, in accordance with the Data Protection Directive, about the purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information; and has given his or her consent. The regime so set-up can be described as opt-in, effectively meaning that the consumer must give his or her consent before cookies or any other form of data is stored in their browser.

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#88

Post by throwaway2048 »

coldpie wrote: post #23
davb wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I'm interested in browsers who's developers wouldn't have done this in the first place - a browser which has privacy as a core principle and who's develop we wouldn't consider pushing any data, regardless of aggregation or commercial value, to a third party without explicit consent..

To be blunt, you're not going to find one. Developing a modern browser is extremely difficult, on the order of developing an entire operating system. Mozilla does respect privacy rights, and it is clearly treating this as a bug to be fixed. You're going to have to cut them some slack for not being 100% perfect always.

The fact they thought this was a good idea to begin with speaks volumes about their actual position.

Re: Firefox tracks users with Google Analytics in the add-on settings

#90

Post by vurpo »

i80and wrote: post #21
joenathanone wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>dumb dogpile rants... Pot meet kettle You're comment hasn't added any value to the conversation, it's just a rant.

Thing is... he's right, though, and it IS rather on topic. Public bug trackers only function as long as the peanut gallery doesn't decide to descend. Once it DOES descend on an issue, the issue often becomes a cluttered off-topic mess of ill-informed nastiness. Just look at any Mozilla bugzilla issue addressing Linux video acceleration, as an example.

For an extreme example, see the Android bug tracker. It is hopeless.
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