You should file a bug here[0], just to be sure it isn't a bug on Fennec.
[0] https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/enter_bug.cgi#h=dupes|Firefox+f...
Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
11–20 of 36 posts
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#12That is not the Google Search app. It is the search interface you get when you use the Firefox Search homescreen widget. (This is on Android, BTW.)
I addressed this below, but I should probably repost it here. Here's my take on it:
When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However:
* it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app
* it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled
* At least on my phone, it only allows Google
* it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing
* it doesn't conform to the Firefox search engine preference
As far as I can tell, "Firefox Search" means "Google Search hooked into Firefox".
To be fair, I noticed that app name difference only after posting.
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#13Does anybody know what app this is? It appears to have a Firefox icon on it. My stock Nexus phone does not seem to have this app - swiping up from the home icon gives you Now.
When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However: * it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app * it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled * At least on my phone, it only allows Google * it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing * it doesn't conform to the Firefox search engine preference As far as I can tell, "F…
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Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#14That is not the Google Search app. It is the search interface you get when you use the Firefox Search homescreen widget. (This is on Android, BTW.)
I addressed this below, but I should probably repost it here. Here's my take on it: When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However: * it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app * it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled * At least on my phone, it only allows Google * it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing *…
> AFAIK, it only allows Google
Mine defaults to Yahoo, which is exactly what you'd expect from the Firefox Search app. It's just a launcher intent that was registered when you installed Firefox.
Here's the help article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/search-firefox-instantl...
According to the bottom box on that page, your search history should have been cleared from the steps you took. Sounds like a bug.
edit: you can prove this to yourself by going to Settings -> Apps -> Firefox, scrolling down to the "Launch By Default" section and clicking the "Clear Defaults" button. The next time you drag up from the bottom, your phone will ask you what you want to launch by default (assuming you still have other launchers, e.g. the Google App installed).
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#15This is not the Google Search app but rather a search app bundled with Firefox. You can tell: it uses Firefox design language and iconography and is called "Firefox Search"; the Google Search app looks nothing like this. Because of the open intent-based nature of Android, apps can hook into the swipe up gesture. If you also have the Google Search app installed, you should've gotten a dialog to select between the two, at least the first time you activated the swipe up.
If you want to blame someone for this, blame Mozilla, but honestly, it's probably just an innocent mistake. This search app seems rather new (I just noticed it the other day, too) and probably doesn't get much usage, which I suspect is why it's not hooked into all the main app preferences yet. Jumping the gun to criticize Google here is... unfortunate.
For comparison, here's what the Google Search app looks like: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and...
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#16That is not the Google Search app. It is the search interface you get when you use the Firefox Search homescreen widget. (This is on Android, BTW.)
I addressed this below, but I should probably repost it here. Here's my take on it: When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However: * it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app * it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled * At least on my phone, it only allows Google * it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing *…
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Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I addressed this below, but I should probably repost it here. Here's my take on it: When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However: * it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app * it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled * At least on my phone, it only allows Google * it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing *…
> AFAIK, it only allows Google Mine defaults to Yahoo, which is exactly what you'd expect from the Firefox Search app. It's just a launcher intent that was registered when you installed Firefox. Here's the help article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/search-firefox-instantl... According to the bottom box on that page, your search history should have been cleared from the steps you took. Sounds like a bug. edit:…
I'm on a Verizon HTC M8 running Android 4.4.4. Mine only allows Google.
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#18Shouldn't be of any surprise to anyone who's willingly using the whole damn operating system from a company rooted in tracking of everyone in sight. Edit -- The notability of the post hinges on whether the OP is running one of the stock Android versions or a custom build. Because if it's former, there could really be no expectations of privacy.
AOSP is clean of any Google-ish surveillance programs. Best example is Cyanogen. Of course, Google Apps are not.
Is OP running Cyanogen?
That would've indeed been something.
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#19That is not the Google Search app. It is the search interface you get when you use the Firefox Search homescreen widget. (This is on Android, BTW.)
I addressed this below, but I should probably repost it here. Here's my take on it: When choosing search apps, it's listed as "Firefox Search". However: * it was automatically installed on my phone because it was the only present search app * it replaced the nearly identical Google Search app, which I explicitly disabled * At least on my phone, it only allows Google * it doesn't conform to the Firefox data clearing *…
In addition to what magicalist said, here is some more information:
The Firefox Search widget is indeed installed by default but not activated by default. You can use it either by adding it to the home screen or via the “swipeup” gesture.
A problem is that it seems to have its own “Clear search history” and does not obey the one from the Firefox privacy settings.
Another problem is that you may activate it and set it as permanent default for the “swipeup” gesture by accident, and then there seems to be no way to change it to something else unless you install some other application that provides a “swipeup” action, in which case you are presented again with the interface to choose your default swipeup action.
This is a general problem in Android. An app that can help you change easily the default swipeup action is the Swipeup Utility:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.AdrianCamp...
You can use Swipeup Utility to set the default swipeup action to Nothing, or you can use it to clear the default of the swipeup gesture, so that you are a presented with the interface to chose a default again.
Last, the Firefox Search widget does not allow only Google Search. It is set to whatever your default search provider is in Firefox.
Re: Firefox search app silently logs Firefox address bar searches
#20This is not the Google Search app but rather a search app bundled with Firefox. You can tell: it uses Firefox design language and iconography and is called "Firefox Search"; the Google Search app looks nothing like this. Because of the open intent-based nature of Android, apps can hook into the swipe up gesture. If you also have the Google Search app installed, you should've gotten a dialog to select between the two,…
I now understand that this app is branded as Firefox Search. However, I find it very suspicious that, at least for me, it only allows Google, even though my default search engine is DuckDuckGo. It also ignores Firefox's data clearing, as you acknowledged.
I think it was automatically enabled on my phone because I explicitly disabled the Google app (my only other search app) in my App Settings.
I updated the page to refer to it as "Firefox's Google Search app". A fair name, considering its search engine options.