USER-TRACKING Firefox sparks Mozilla civil war

[Brink]

Mozilla coders are arguing among themselves about the open-source outfit's Metrics Data Ping project, which was designed to monitor Firefox usage metrics. Several coders in the Mozilla camp have expressed concern about how some developers are proposing the project should collect data from users of the browser.

Read more at:
USER-TRACKING Firefox sparks Mozilla civil war ? The Register

 

[manhunter2826]

wow thanks brink sir.

 

[Qdos]

Sounds like a chip off the proverbial Apple...

 

[Layback Bear]

We are running out of places and people we can trust.

 

[manhunter2826]

We are running out of places and people we can trust.

good point -- technology wise and also financially -- look at this so-called economic 'recovery' :sarc:.. anyhow, i digress ..

 

[MilesAhead]

If you look in a Chromium snap shot using about:flags there's an entry "Disable hyperlink auditing" that may be similar.

I don't know much about it except I've heard it sends a "ping" every time you click a link with a packet of info about who is going where. It would be interesting if anyone knows more.

 

[DJ Digital]

thx Brink for the info, this is scary, been using fox for years
makes me wonder as i also use thunderbird email client...

maybe i code a secure shell and make a simple DIY browser

 

[Phone Man]

Check your options in FF for this little jewel.





What information are they collecting now?

Usage Statistics (also known as Telemetry). Beginning with version 7, Firefox includes functionality that is turned off by default to send to Mozilla non-personal usage, performance, and responsiveness statistics about user interface features, memory, and hardware configuration. The only Potentially Personal Information sent to Mozilla when this functionality has been enabled is IP addresses. Usage statistics are transmitted using SSL (a method of protecting data in transit) and help us improve future versions of Firefox. Once sent to Mozilla, usage statistics are stored in an aggregate form and made available to a broad range of developers, including both Mozilla employees and public contributors. Once this functionality is enabled, users can disable it in Firefox's Options/Preferences. Simply deselect the "Submit performance data" item.

Jim

 

[Boastree]

Remember xfiles-trust no one!

 

[seekermeister]

This seems to be going against the flow, as far as browser privacy issues go. The trend is toward designing opt-out features for user tracking via cookies, as can be seen in this thead:

"Do Not Track" feature support in Opera - Security and privacy in Opera - Opera Community

Why would Mozilla think that it is any different for them to collect data, than other websites that they are trying to block?

 

[fseal]

The hilarious and sad part about it is the 100% consistant and "natural" evolution of events frequently referred to as the "slippery slope".

The quote about "Hey since we are already collecting all this info, lets start making use of it for other things!" is telling in volumes. As is the progression from Opt-in to Opt-out. It /always/ goes this way. 100% of the time.

This is why it so SO important to NOT let the very first foot even get in the door. Once it has, it's all over.

 

[seekermeister]

Then if one squawks about that first foot in the door, the reaction from many on the forums is to label you as being paranoid.

 

[fseal]

Then if one squawks about that first foot in the door, the reaction from many on the forums is to label you as being paranoid.

Yeah or worse! A very frequent inital reaction is to label the person a criminal even...

 

[seekermeister]

Doesn't have any effect on me, because I have a non-stick surface, and the labels fall to the floor, but not everyone has that "feature".

 

[M1GU31]

Doesn't bother me much because I'm sure google tracks you regardless of what they say.same with every other search engine I'm sure. Wouldn't be surprised If ie,chrome and opera are doing the exact same thing. Can't really hide from these mischief developers unfortunately. All though I still see this unacceptable.

 

[balkanno]

Why do i belive that Microsoft could be behind this? Besides all those logs Windows itselfs collects, you all bother what Firefox might ave logged? Give me a break.

 

[fseal]

Windows logs??? Those are logged for YOUR information stored on YOUR computer. What were talking about here is information collected by Mozilla used to sell you to other people. Those could not be two totally different things.

Second, how would a "civil war" between members of the FF team be Microsoft's fault?!?!?

Microsoft sleeper spies working for Mozilla for 10 years, now being activated?

And is there something wrong with wanting at least ONE browser that doesn't harvest and sell your soul to the highest bidder? IE - nope. Google? Holy crap NO! FF, not any more. That pretty much leaves Opera... I guess... for now.

 

[MilesAhead]

Then if one squawks about that first foot in the door, the reaction from many on the forums is to label you as being paranoid.

The first one to call you paranoid is always in on it.

 

[Boastree]

Some things we have been told the past few months:
"The PC is dead"
"To reply to this article you must sign up and log into Face Book(MSNBC)"
"You must use Metro to use 8"
"Google tracks you"
"Firefox tracks you"
"Reelect me"

By the way, I KNOW I am parinoid!

 

[smarteyeball]

Why do i belive that Microsoft could be behind this? Besides all those logs Windows itselfs collects, you all bother what Firefox might ave logged? Give me a break.

I don't logs from anyone, anywhere collecting data about me I don't know about. Knowing about it it doesn't sweeten the deal either.

I'm astounded there are people who AREN'T bothered that an ever increasingly insidious amount of data is being collected from an ever increasing wider variety of sources is deemed acceptable.