What is Firefox Pioneer?
Firefox Pioneer is a feature of SHIELD, a system that Mozilla implemented in Firefox to test new features and changes on a subset of Firefox users.
Firefox Pioneer is an opt-in feature of SHIELD. It is offered as a browser extension for the Firefox browser that users need to install.
Once installed, users may be opted in to SHIELD studies automatically, and information about sensitive data may be sent to Mozilla which the organization uses to better understand how people use the browser and the Internet.
This helps Mozilla improve the Firefox web browser, and introduce features and changes to the browser that may take these studies into account.
Users may also be asked questions which they may answer to provide Mozilla with additional insight.
Mozilla notes that user privacy is protected in a number of ways. Each SHIELD study proposal is evaluated by a panel of experts to ensure that only "necessary and appropriate" data is collected. Users are given a random ID that is only used by Firefox Pioneer, and Pioneer will not be active in Private Browsing mode.
It won't collect sensitive data such as cookies, email addresses, form data or login information, and all data that is transferred is encrypted. Individual data will never be sold or shared, and access to the raw data is granted to a small number of researchers only.
There are two requirements for participating in Firefox Pioneer:
- Make sure that "allow Firefox to install and run studies" is enabled on about:preferences#privacy.
- Install the Firefox Pioneer add-on.
You can manage studies at any time by loading about:studies in the browser's address bar. Firefox lists all studies that you participate in on that page. You may leave any study there at any time.
You need to uninstall the Firefox add-on Firefox Pioneer if you don't want to be part of the program anymore.
Closing Words
Firefox Pioneer is an opt-in program designed for users who want to give up data to help in the development process. It is a bit disconcerting that Mozilla does not list the data that it may get its hands on when users install Firefox Pioneer. While the organization mentioned that it does not include cookies or login data, it did not list the data that it does collect explicitly. This would certainly help users make better decisions when it comes to Firefox Pioneer.
Mozilla is no different than any other tech company and most likely sells it’s data to the highest bidder. Why else would they not tell you what type of data or which places buy it? Researchers? LMAO yea right!!!
Why don’t you tell people exactly what you are collecting so people can make a more informed choice a bout Pioneer?
as much as I would like to help Mozilla make Firefox a better browser,
for someone who is paranoid about privacy, I would rather pass
> It is a bit disconcerting that Mozilla does not list the data that it may get its hands on when users install Firefox Pioneer.
There’s a privacy policy like for all add-ons that connect to the web: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/firefox-pioneer/privacy/
“You need to uninstall the Firefox add-on Firefox Pioneer if you don’t want to be part of the program anymore.” That’s odd – wouldn’t disabling the addon do the same? Or is disabling it not allowed (the button is missing or disabled)?
Mozilla has been in the browser business long enough already to know how users use their product. This latest attempt at data collection is probably just a reaction to users opting out of telemetry in the preferences menu en masse.
Well, at least they don’t shove it down your throat like Microsoft, Google, and Apple, and then deny they are doing it. Google is even conducting AI “predictive behavior” experiments on its users, storing psychological profiles of them. Facebook did something similar, using AI to determine users that were “depressed” and needed Facebook’s “help”. If you’ve got half a brain I think you can figure out how harmful mass profiling can be to free speech and democracy.
Will drop it on the basic account, never do much more than simple random surfing there anyhow.
Opting out seems logical until the data telemetry type is established.
Better safe than sorry :)
Thanks for the article Martin.