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Comment by diggernet | Hacker News Reader

> You give Mozilla the rights necessary to operate Firefox. This includes processing your data as we describe in the Firefox Privacy Notice. It also includes a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license for the purpose of doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox.

You don't need a license for data you never see. When I use Firefox to type a comment on HN, that comment goes from me to HN. It doesn't go to Mozilla. Mozilla does not need a license. (And no, Firefox doesn't need a license either, because licenses are granted to people and organizations, not software.)

The only possible reason for Mozilla to need a license to the data I type into Firefox is if Mozilla intends to have Firefox send that data to them.

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Right. Some people want Sync, Pocket, oneline translation, etc. Others like me just want a browser. There should be a simple option to choose between a browser and some multifunction beast that some people and even more managers at Mozilla are dreaming of.

Those things are Mozilla services. If they spoke of operating Mozilla services and data you input into Mozilla services, it'd be fine and expected. But instead they speak of operating Firefox and data input into Firefox, which is much more broad, and just happens to give them coverage for all kinds of data collection and abuse.

The fact they've issued this update and not clarified the scope as Mozilla services is disturbing.

Thanks for the terminology clarification. So ideally the services would be used by an extension that users are offered to download. Next best would be a simple choice do you want any services or not. If yes, all of them or customize.

I thought they removed the reference to Firefox?

From TFA:

> Here’s what the new language will say:

They're still broadly referring to "Firefox" with alarming language.

Thanks.

> They're still broadly referring to "Firefox" with alarming language.

"alarming" is a low standard - people get alarmed because they see everyone else throwing a fit.

They say it's only for "doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox" - how is that alarming?

> They say it's only for "doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox" - how is that alarming?

Nothing that I intend to do with Firefox requires any such statement. The mere existence of the statement is evidence that Mozilla's intentions are drastically out of line with what a web browser should be doing.

> Nothing that I intend to do with Firefox requires any such statement.

So what? Millions of people use Firefox. Lots of things in Firefox and their ToS don't apply to me, of course. None of my personal info will be collected at all, based on what I've read.

Mozilla is telling you they can collect the data. Whether or not they are right now is not relevant. Mozilla is informing you that you have agreed to them collecting all of this data. They now have the right to collect and transmit said data at any point.

"There should be a simple option to choose between a browser"

Less money, not going to happen.

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