Author Topic: Are users going to leave firefox because of this first wave of suggested tiles? (Read 2198 times)

polonus · « **on:** September 15, 2015, 12:32:10 AM »

Read: https://blog.mozilla.org/advancingcontent/2015/09/10/first-wave-suggested-tiles-partners-live/
I know users can disable this "feature" (or is it intrusion) and change newtab url, but how about Mozilla's gathering of your browsing info to show you the relevant ads?
I work a decent ad-blocker to protect me against mal-ads and I don't want Mozilla to collect info for others to go a-PHISH-ing with.
How do you folks react on this news or do you react as most do: "Shrug your shoulders and give them the empty gaze of "Oh-privacy-it does not interest me really""

polonus

DavidR · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2015, 12:48:43 AM »

Given that almost every browser is pulling the same stunts (ability to add value in the browser) in various degrees, where do you go. That for me gives zero added value, the only value is to the browser company in the revenue gained for this so called added value.

I don't see any of this as I'm currently using the En-UK not en-us language. but in all honesty if you have a means of disabling this as you mention, I don't see it as an issue.

No doubt these tiles whatever form that they take they should be block-able with an ad blocker or requestpolicy, etc.

polonus · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2015, 01:04:15 AM »

Hi DavidR,

Whenever this was taken by Mozilla as a chance to offer an alternative to the ill-functioning adware market (read tracking industry) I certainly would welcome such a new initiative, but I doubt it is all about that. You are right that disabling this in the browser makes it less of an issue or a non-issue really, while the privacy invasion stays the same (collecting data by Mozilla to serve you these ads).
browser.newtab.url, give in a page there to your liking like for instance duck duck go or whatever....

polonus

DavidR · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2015, 01:22:09 AM »

The real issue is jumping out of the frying pan into the fire so to speak. If all or most of the major browsers are up to this added value, then we are all looking not for a new browser, but how to combat it within the browser we have.

polonus · « **Reply #4 on:** September 15, 2015, 01:20:40 PM »

One thing is certain for me, I'd cling to a good adblocker solution in the browser and will block third party content whenever I am able.
Without NoScript and RequestPolicy most advanced user had long left firefox alone.
The difference with browsing Google Chrome with some decent extension formula becomes less and less of an issue for me, that is why I use firefox for certain browsing and Google Chrome for bulk surfing (with AOS, Adguard WOT, DrWeb's Privacy Badger, uMatrix, uBlock). uMatrix there is as versatile as NoScript and makes you block third party content - cookies, css, images, plug-in, script, frame (blocked by defaulkt) & other for all, the main domain and here on this forum site (www).-google-analytics is being blocked by default.
On Quttera domain -adroll.com * is being blocked by uMatrix for instance and many more.
Why, read: https://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/adroll.com?utm_source=addon&utm_content=popup (read user reports, please)

Quote

uMatrix has prevented the following page from loading:
-http://adroll.com/

polonus