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Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

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Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#21

There are multiple extensions and VPN products out there (some better and some worse), so why are they choosing who wins or loses here. I know it is because of $, but I hate the direction they have been taking lately.

If they did something like search engines, where they have a large list with someone as the default and the ability to add more, I might be ok with it. But certainly not with this sort of advertising.

The number of people installing adblock should tell them that their users don't want to see advertising.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#22
post #16

I only use firefox. But I don't feel like I can strongly recommend it because of the long list of bad decisions. - Google analytics baked into about:addons - Sending data to Cliqz - Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar - Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page - Firefox hello - Completely banning unsigned addons - Mr. Robot advert - And now probably this I want a browser that is rel…

Maybe we need a light fork which removes all those problematic parts on each release?

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#24
post #16

I only use firefox. But I don't feel like I can strongly recommend it because of the long list of bad decisions. - Google analytics baked into about:addons - Sending data to Cliqz - Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar - Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page - Firefox hello - Completely banning unsigned addons - Mr. Robot advert - And now probably this I want a browser that is rel…

> Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar

> Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page

Is that really worse than Mozilla allowing all of your Google searches (from the new tabs) to go through Google? At least it owns Pocket.

Mozilla needs to make money somehow. Promoting its own services doesn't seem nearly as bad as the partnership with Google, in my opinion.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#25
post #16

I only use firefox. But I don't feel like I can strongly recommend it because of the long list of bad decisions. - Google analytics baked into about:addons - Sending data to Cliqz - Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar - Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page - Firefox hello - Completely banning unsigned addons - Mr. Robot advert - And now probably this I want a browser that is rel…

Maybe we need a light fork which removes all those problematic parts on each release?

Some of this problematic points are historical and resolved, like the Mr. Robot advert.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#27
post #8

Did they take the page down? I'm getting redirected to the Firefox homepage

This is a US-only test. You’re only supposed to get the link through an offer inside Firefox. Direct access to the website just redirects if you’re outside the US at the moment.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#28
I'm really excited about this idea, but I also think it isn't fully baked yet.

I'm excited because VPNs are all about shifting trust: I'm no longer trusting Comcast not to sell my data, I'm now trusting SketchyVPN. If SketchyVPN turns out not to be trustworthy, then I'm paying for something that is worth less than $0 to me, and there's no way to detect that as a user. It's like paying more for organic food in a town where farm stands are paid to lace organic food with arsenic -- why would you?

For VPN service, I trust Mozilla more than to just about anybody: they're nonprofit, have clear and transparent governance, have many mission-driven employees, and would lose more than they could possibly gain by breaking the terms of service on a VPN. They also have a big enough profile that it takes no extra effort to stay up to date on how trustworthy they are -- they do make missteps, but every misstep hits the front page of HN, which is exactly what I want. If they run a VPN, I'm sold that it's worth more than $0.

But the service isn't fully baked yet for me, because they're not explaining how they're enforcing the trustworthiness of ProtonVPN. I have no idea if ProtonVPN is as trustworthy as Mozilla -- maybe it is, but I don't want to learn and stay on top of that. Instead I want premium.firefox.com/vpn/ to convince me that, if I use Mozilla's service, I'm fully benefiting from their trustworthiness.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#29
post #16

I only use firefox. But I don't feel like I can strongly recommend it because of the long list of bad decisions. - Google analytics baked into about:addons - Sending data to Cliqz - Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar - Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page - Firefox hello - Completely banning unsigned addons - Mr. Robot advert - And now probably this I want a browser that is rel…

Well, unsigned addons are banned in the branded release browser. If you use the developer edition, nightly or compile Firefox yourself then you can install unsigned addons into Firefox. The last option also enables you to turn of Pocket and a variety of other services.

Re: Firefox partners with ProtonVPN

#30
post #16

I only use firefox. But I don't feel like I can strongly recommend it because of the long list of bad decisions. - Google analytics baked into about:addons - Sending data to Cliqz - Pocket, as a service being added to the topbar - Pocket, as a service being added to the default home/newtab page - Firefox hello - Completely banning unsigned addons - Mr. Robot advert - And now probably this I want a browser that is rel…

In that case you would be better served by Google Chrome. I bet it doesn't have Pocket and Firefox hello.
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