Mozilla responds to backlash over new terms, saying it’s not using people’s data for AI

 

Mozilla has responded to user backlash over Firefox's new Terms of Use, which critics claim contain overly broad language that seemingly grants the company rights to user data. Mozilla asserts that the updated terms do not reflect a change in how it handles data but aim to clarify the relationship between the company and its users.

On Wednesday, Mozilla introduced new Terms of Use and an updated Privacy Notice for Firefox. According to the company, these changes are meant to provide greater transparency regarding user rights and data practices.

“We tried to make these easy to read and understand — there shouldn’t be any surprises in how we operate or how our product works,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post.

Despite these intentions, the new language caused confusion. The backlash was strong enough that Mozilla updated its blog post to explicitly state that the company does not claim ownership of user data or any rights beyond what is outlined in its Privacy Notice.

Users were particularly concerned with a section of the new terms stating: “When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and interact with online content as you indicate with your use of Firefox.”

Critics argue that this phrasing is overly vague and far-reaching. Brendan Eich, co-founder and CEO of rival browser Brave Software, reacted strongly on social media, suggesting the language could be connected to a strategy to monetize user data for AI applications.

When asked whether Firefox user data is shared with AI companies or advertisers, Mozilla clarified that its Privacy Notice still applies to AI features. Content data is not sent to Mozilla or external parties, and data shared with advertisers is de-identified, according to the company.

“These changes are not driven by a desire by Mozilla to use people’s data for AI or sell it to advertisers,” Mozilla’s VP of Communications, Brandon Borrman, told TechCrunch. “As it says in the Terms of Use, we ask for permission from the user to use their data to operate Firefox ‘as you indicate with your use of Firefox.’ This means that our ability to use data is still limited by what we disclose in the Privacy Notice.”

The Privacy Notice specifies that Firefox may collect technical and interaction data when users engage with AI chatbots. Mozilla clarified that if users opt to use third-party AI chatbots, those third parties handle the data under their own policies. Other AI features in Firefox operate locally on users' devices and do not transmit content data externally.

Regarding advertising, Mozilla acknowledged that it sells advertising within Firefox to support browser development. The company emphasized that it focuses on privacy-preserving ad products and only shares data with advertisers in a de-identified or aggregated form, as outlined in the Privacy Notice. Users can opt out of having their data processed for advertising by disabling the “technical and interaction data” setting on both desktop and mobile versions of Firefox.

Mozilla also explained the language choices in its updated terms. The term “nonexclusive” ensures that users retain the ability to share their data elsewhere. “Royalty-free” reflects that Firefox is a free product, with no financial obligations between Mozilla and users for data handling. “Worldwide” reflects the global availability of Firefox and its access to the broader internet.

Despite Mozilla's assurances that these updates do not represent a shift in data practices, the vague language has left some users skeptical. This reaction could pose a challenge for Firefox, which currently holds just 2.54% of the global browser market, trailing behind Chrome (67%), Safari (17.95%), and Edge (5.2%).

This article was updated after publication to more accurately attribute statements to Mozilla's VP of Communications, Brandon Borrman, rather than spokesperson Kenya Friend-Daniel.