A community for discussion about Mozilla Firefox.
By default now Firefox for Android shares an extra link with TRACKING for advertising itself. This is the features that everyone loves.
Ok, buried in the menu there's an option to disable this shit. But it's infuriating that a "please spam my friends and track the opening rate of my links" option is enabled by default
I don't get it. I'm not seeing the same thing, and I can't find any reference of anyone else reporting the same issue online either. Either this isn't an accurate report, or it's some very specific A/B testing. I can't find any options in settings that mention this functionality either.
According to another comment by OP, it only happens when they share a link to WhatsApp from Firefox.
I'm currently more perturbed by the headline about them nerfing HEVC functionality.
Hey in a $1500 laptop there aren't enough margins for paying 4 cents of royalties
I didn't think it was Mozilla doing that. It was laptop manufacturers.
Yes.
This is where the forks come in. Ironfox on android is what Librewolf is to Windows/Mac/Linux.
What about WaterFox? Is that any good?
I've been using Waterfox for months and it works just like Firefox did. It has no AI features. It would be nice if it would offer to import you ff profile.
It's not as hardened (which can be a good or bad thing if your priorities are ease of use vs. privacy), but it's a debloated fork of Firefox, so it should be fine.
Is it a #Firefox or a #WhatsApp issue?
Firefox. They detect when you are sharing on WhatsApp and inject the tracking link (when sharing to other apps it doesn’t happen)
Interesting. I didn't know that they could tell where something is shared to. I generally just copy things but I also basically never use WhatsApp so that might be why I haven't seen this.
I don't see the option to disable that on my device. OP, do you have "studies" enabled? In settings, check Data collection > Install and run studies. Maybe it's listed there.
it's firefox for android (google play build) 145.0.1 build 2016126887 (18th November 2:22:23) and i found out now that the option "install and run studies" in "data collection" is enabled (it's opt-out and I was not aware of that)
I guess you turned the studies off now? Is the option for these inserted links still present?
I hope it was indeed just a study, and if so that the devs will get the memo because this is some serious bullshit...
Yes now the option it's completely gone from the settings, even the menu where it was hidden is gone
I see, i tested it now and also got it:
What a dogshit idea. I guess I'll go complain on their forums.
I wonder if, with all the Firefox clones and the header scramblers, the usage percentages aren't quite as bleak compared to chromium based browsers.
Nah, Firefox clones are extremely niche.
@Wispy2891 Whatever it takes for Firefox to stay afloat......as long as it respects my privacy, I will put up with ads. I feel like Mozilla is a sinking ship.
How is a tracked link at all privacy respecting?
Yeah, wtf, it's additionally ridiculous because it contradicts FF's own option to copy links without tracking info, which they implemented recently.
@just2look How and why is it tracking?
Its a unique link that Mozilla knows is tied to your device, and can see what devices open the link. That is pretty invasive tracking.
It’s a simple toggle in the settings menu to turn on/off. The people who care about privacy will toggle it off.
If it defaults to off, that's fine. I'm tired of constantly having to go into settings for everything to see if they added some invasive bullshit.
It defaults to on. You can disable it under Settings > Advanced > Link sharing
I assumed it defaulted to on. I use Vanadium on mobile, and don't use WhatsApp. So I wasn't going to try to check.
I just meant that defaulting to off is the only way 'features' like this are even remotely acceptable.
Not just that, but the settings don't sync between devices either.
Ah, “just a prank bro” argument. This is how ANTI-privacy corporations erode the level of expectations. Firefox, as a privacy advocate should absolutely NOT do that. If the choice is between being respectful of your users and being dead - I’d rather see it dead. We already have Microsoft Edge and a dozen other bs browsers that treat us like cattle. I think the general sentiment is that Firefox does not do that - or was not supposed to, anyway.
I never made an argument or said said it was a prank.
FF gives users a choice. It is our choice to make, not theirs. To me, that is respecting their users.
@just2look I am not sure........I just want Firefox to have more market share and not be beholden to G00gley eyes.
FF gaining a bigger market share by being shitty defeats the purpose of using FF.