On Thursday, Mozilla announced that it will now apply the Mozilla Public License (MPL) in addition to open license terms to the Firefox Terms of Use, which regulate the requirements users must agree to when using products under the Firefox brand. Previously, Mozilla relied solely on the MPL license and public obligations, but due to shifts in the technological landscape, the company has decided to formalize these requirements and obligations. Starting in March, new users will be prompted to confirm the Terms of Use, followed by existing users.
The Terms of Use document represents an agreement between the user and Mozilla, granting the user a license to install and utilize pre-built Firefox assemblies (executable code). In exchange for the right to use Firefox, users agree to give Mozilla all necessary rights for the browser, including the right to process user data in accordance with the privacy notice and the ability to take actions on the user’s behalf to assist in web navigation.
Users are informed that by downloading or inputting any information into Firefox, they are granting Mozilla a non-exclusive, worldwide license to utilize this information for enhancing navigation, facilitating work, and interacting with online content.
Alongside the introduction of the Terms of Use, Mozilla also revised its privacy notice. This updated version provides a detailed list of collected data and the terms of its use. Within the browser settings, users have the option to deny the transfer of their data.
The privacy notice now includes a clarification that with user consent, Firefox may share information with marketing partners to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of advertising campaigns related to Firefox. This information may include user acquisition data and active Firefox usage. Specific details shared with partners like Adjust and Google are provided in a general format for marketing purposes, with a note about the anonymization of the data.