Will our data be routed to Israel like every other vpn is required to do?
Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
161–170 of 178 posts
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#162Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's not remotely the same? A default setting that can easily be changed for a feature the vendor didn't have a solution for? To give you an example. Try to use Google Search without sending your data to Google. You cannot use the product without it, you cannot opt out. Firefox, you can use just fine with Google not being your search engine.
Why isn't it the same? The fact that it is possible to change that default means google simply pays less for it than they otherwise would if it wasn't changeable. It's not a binary toggle - firefox is selling you as a source of revenue for themselves. They're just not making it as extreme as it is possible to be - in the hopes that you don't switch away. You can compare same situation with safari in iOS. Except googl…
> Why isn't it the same? The fact that it is possible to change that default means google simply pays less for it than they otherwise would if it wasn't changeable.
Because I can change that default and still use the thing. That's how it's very different.
Typically when people say that when something is free you are the product. They mean that it's free because your data is being sold, implying that without telemetry it wouldn't be free. That's not the case here as far as I know
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#163We desperately need some AGI level AI to replace decision makers @ Firefox. Since the spanner that is between the cogs hinders progress big time, pig time.
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Firefox’s free VPN won’t be using Mullvad’s infra though; it’s hosted on Mozilla servers around the world (if beta testing of the feature done in late 2025 tracks)." From OMG Ubuntu
What makes me not want to use it is I assume Mozilla has a legal presence all around the world. Two huge reasons people use VPNs is piracy and saying things/accessing content that's not legal in their country. If that company has a legal presence in your country, then they'll hand over that data to the police should you criticize the wrong person or download a movie without permission. At which point a VPN becomes ki…
how is that any different from any other VPN provider?
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#165> the free tier will initially provide 50GB of monthly data
Is it per machine or profile or ip address or something else?
I switch from Firefox to Brave a few months ago because the markdown in aistudio.google.com is not displayed correctly in Firefox. I wonder if anybody has the same issue or that issue can be fixed.
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#166Earlier quoted context omitted.
> This is such a un-nuanced take. It's still correct though. In this context Mozilla uses the firefox-users as their test and demo base. At the end is commercial benefit. And I think the core criticism still applies. Mozilla gave up on the browser years ago, let's be honest. It may be interesting from a historic point of view to find out how, when and why, but meanwhile the rest of the world has moved on already, so…
It’s not correct. ‘You are the product’ implies some aspect of you -your activity or data is being sold. In this case, you stent being sold. They are providing a limited free version and hoping you upgrade.
Just facts:
- June 2024. Mozilla acquires Anonym, an ad metrics firm.
- July 2024. Mozilla adds Privacy-Preserving Attribution (PPA), feature is enabled by default. Developed in cooperation with Meta (Facebook).
- Feb 2025. Mozilla updates its Privacy FAQ and TOS. "does not sell data about you." becomes "... in the way that most people think about it".
- Oct 2025. Sponsored “Privacy-Focused Direct Results” added to address bar. Not yet exposed in Settings UI.
- Dec 2025. Privacy Notice updated to formalize on-device ad processing and content personalization on New Tab. New Tab is actively marketed to advertisers as a native ad surface.
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
[flagged]
1. That's an opinion piece, not a piece of investigative journalism. 2. That's from 5 years ago; who knows if this is even still the case, even assuming it's as widespread as the opinion piece claims. 3. See my second point.
For what it's worth, both the pieces are part of a smear campaign by an American far right Christian group called Exodus Cry.
Among other things, Benjamin Nolot who runs Exodus Cry is a holocaust denier
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also, "free": "If you're not paying for it, you're the product being sold" HN is "free" too. :)
that isn't the gotcha you think it is. Y combinator absolutely profits from encouraging group think and positive attitudes about things they're involved in. How else would you get a large part of the tech world to somehow believe that suckling on the teat of Venture capital until that elusive "exit" is the holy grail of business models?
Regardless of how you think HN makes the service free, I'm pointing out to the OP that he is using a service that is free and he is the product. It seems like he is ok with this concept. So why wouldn't he be ok with he Mozilla free VPN concept.
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
that isn't the gotcha you think it is. Y combinator absolutely profits from encouraging group think and positive attitudes about things they're involved in. How else would you get a large part of the tech world to somehow believe that suckling on the teat of Venture capital until that elusive "exit" is the holy grail of business models?
Regardless of how you think HN makes the service free, I'm pointing out to the OP that he is using a service that is free and he is the product. It seems like he is ok with this concept. So why wouldn't he be ok with he Mozilla free VPN concept.
How you are "valuable" as the product is absolutely a relevant distinction to make.
When the valuable part is data collection, you don't get a choice in how your user data is sold.
When the valuable part is influencing opinions, you do get a choice in what you believe.
Re: Mozilla to launch free built-in VPN in upcoming Firefox 149
#170You know what would be actually cool and a transformative improvement? Mozilla to make an iOS port of Firefox and publish it in regions where Apple has been forced to allow it.
There used to be (is?) a Mozilla Web XR viewer app, which is a web browser with some experimental features enabled (tailored towards XR/VR as the name implies). Wonder if this is still Safari under the hood?