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Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#41

Post by abawany »

moosingin3space wrote: post #17
y2bd wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did it use to support multiple tabs?

No, it doesn't -- I think the GP is stating that they were used to multiple tabs in a browser before they switched to Focus.

That is correct. I use Firefox as my normal mobile browser and opening new tabs for links was what I was familiar with. I haven't missed this too much with Firefox Focus (I actually use Firefox Klar from F-Droid, which is the German variant of Focus without GA libraries) and have come to love its speed and cleanliness. EDIT: clarifying my complicated and confusing initial sentence.

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#42

Post by kuschku »

lol768 wrote: post #27
piotrkubisa wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> " Firefox Klar is a version of Firefox Focus for Germany, Austria and Switzerland with user activity tracking disabled by default." [1] > "For clients that have "send anonymous usage data" enabled Focus sends a "core" ping and an "event" ping to Mozilla's telemetry service. Sending telemetry can be disabled in the app's settings. Builds of "Focus for Android" have telemetry enabled by default ("opt-out") while buil…

What's special about Germany, Austria and Switzerland that they don't get the user activity tracking?

Laws that make this kind of tracking without explicit opt-in a crime. As it should be everywhere.

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#43

Post by sarnowski »

lol768 wrote: post #27
piotrkubisa wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> " Firefox Klar is a version of Firefox Focus for Germany, Austria and Switzerland with user activity tracking disabled by default." [1] > "For clients that have "send anonymous usage data" enabled Focus sends a "core" ping and an "event" ping to Mozilla's telemetry service. Sending telemetry can be disabled in the app's settings. Builds of "Focus for Android" have telemetry enabled by default ("opt-out") while buil…

What's special about Germany, Austria and Switzerland that they don't get the user activity tracking?

I don't know but assume its a similar issue as with Google Analytics. In Germany, you are not allowed to use default configured Google Analytics. User IPs are PII for our data protection laws (it is possible for someone on earth to know who is probably behind that IP like telcos). As a consequence, we need to disable IP tracking:

https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection...

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#46

Post by boek »

SHAKEDECADE wrote: post #2

Meh. It's been on my iphone for about a year and I've used it maybe a dozen times. It would be nice to be able to open a link from another browser (eg. Endless) but the option isn't available. So it goes by the wayside.

I think you will like our next build :)

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#47

Post by nkkollaw »

So, if I understand this correctly... It's a regular browser, but like you're always in private mode + it's got a built-in ad blocker?

If I want to check Hacker News let's say 5 times throughout the day and feel like leaving a comment, I have to login again, without autocomplete..?

Maybe I'm missing something.

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#48

Post by cosmie »

lol768 wrote: post #27
piotrkubisa wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> " Firefox Klar is a version of Firefox Focus for Germany, Austria and Switzerland with user activity tracking disabled by default." [1] > "For clients that have "send anonymous usage data" enabled Focus sends a "core" ping and an "event" ping to Mozilla's telemetry service. Sending telemetry can be disabled in the app's settings. Builds of "Focus for Android" have telemetry enabled by default ("opt-out") while buil…

What's special about Germany, Austria and Switzerland that they don't get the user activity tracking?

Really strict data privacy laws with a regulatory environment that doesn't play games and heavily leans towards consumer rights. In Germany at least, you're also required to obtain double opt-in and record extensive documentation of the entire opt-in process just for email marketing. If you overstep your bounds and draw the attention of regulators in Germany, it has all the comfort of the Eye of Sauron staring at you[2].

[1] https://blogs.oracle.com/marketingcloud/email-marketing-clar...

[2] Lord of the Rings reference. Most apt description I can think of for the dread that comes at the mere thought of pissing off German regulators in this area.

Re: Firefox Focus – A new private browser for iOS and Android

#49

Post by ohsnapman »

I've been using this on Android for weeks. It's super fast, blocks a lot of annoying ads (think jumpy mobile overlays). No bookmarks or tabs, so if you're looking at a recipe for a dish you're making, there's always a chance it gets wiped. Just use Chrome for that. Highly recommend.
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