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Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

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Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#22

Why are there controls to turn off AI features, but no controls to turn on AI features?

Because Firefox users have been clamoring for the ability to turn them off rather than the opposite.

I think you misunderstand. Firefox users have wanted this to be opt-in or explicit-choice rather than opt-out.

The implication is that all future AI features will be opt-out.

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Firefox users have been clamoring for the ability to turn them off rather than the opposite.

I think they're asking why it has to be opt-out rather than opt-in.

The likely answer is an incentive structure that rewards someone for maximizing 'number of users using AI'.

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#25
I am tired of turning features off. At this point I just want a boring browser that handles html/css/js, bookmarks, tabs (should sleep inactive tabs), plugins (for my chosen password manager and ad blocker), and page zoom. Those are the only features I actually use regularly.

That's it, I would be willing to make a one time purchase for that, no subscriptions... Ok, I could maybe be convinced for a subscription if it was a low yearly one.

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#26

I am tired of turning features off. At this point I just want a boring browser that handles html/css/js, bookmarks, tabs (should sleep inactive tabs), plugins (for my chosen password manager and ad blocker), and page zoom. Those are the only features I actually use regularly. That's it, I would be willing to make a one time purchase for that, no subscriptions... Ok, I could maybe be convinced for a subscription if it…

Don't forget an obfuscation layer to spoof things like canvas fingerprinting, installed fonts, etc. I'd pay for that.

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Firefox users have been clamoring for the ability to turn them off rather than the opposite.

I think you misunderstand. Firefox users have wanted this to be opt-in or explicit-choice rather than opt-out. The implication is that all future AI features will be opt-out.

I think the parent comment is snark. They're saying that since many Firefox users are saying "Let me turn off AI features, please!" for features they don't want at all, and few to no Firefox users are saying "Let me turn on AI features!" because few to no Firefox users want AI features in the first place, Mozilla is making AI features opt-out to "satisfy" the "want" of turning off AI features.

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#28
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you click through you can see that the new feature includes a single toggle to turn off all current and future AI.

That's the third-best design they could have. Second-best would be having a toggle to turn on AI. Best would be going back to building a browser and leaving out the AI entirely, or putting it in some other product that they only consider funding after they get back to 50% market share for the browser.

Market share statistics include Chrome- and Safari-based webviews do they not?

Pretty much impossible for Firefox to achieve 50% of market share

Re: Firefox Getting New Controls to Turn Off AI Features

#30

I am tired of turning features off. At this point I just want a boring browser that handles html/css/js, bookmarks, tabs (should sleep inactive tabs), plugins (for my chosen password manager and ad blocker), and page zoom. Those are the only features I actually use regularly. That's it, I would be willing to make a one time purchase for that, no subscriptions... Ok, I could maybe be convinced for a subscription if it…

Don't forget an obfuscation layer to spoof things like canvas fingerprinting, installed fonts, etc. I'd pay for that.

Sure, I just want the core browser stuff and plugins, security/privacy kinda goes with that.

It feels like browsers are like old IDEs where everything is bundled in. I think it would be much better it they were more like modern code editors where people can make their own custom IDE by installing the plugins they want.

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