#browsers

Don't count anything you have to use for work/school, this is just asking about what you use on your own time.

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there's a version of that "Chrome is installing a big AI file without telling you" post going around that claims Chromium also contains that big AI file, and that any browser based on Chromium (like Vivaldi) is "contaminated" as well. that's not true.

Chromium is open-source, and can't have Google's closed-source AI models in it. even if Google went ahead and open-sourced Gemini Nano so they could put it in Chromium, the whole nature of open-source means that anyone building a Chromium-based browser could just choose not to include it. and Vivaldi, specifically, has promised to never include AI browser features.

basically, by reblogging "AI bad" posts without fact checking, a lot of people are now contributing to users being scared to switch to a browser that specifically, purposefully does not include any AI!!

So Firefox has introduced Terms of Use.

Of note:

This was pointed out updated in the Privacy Policy:

We use technical data, language preference, and location to serve content and advertising on the Firefox New Tab page in the correct format (i.e. for mobile vs desktop), language, and relevant location. Mozilla collects technical and interaction data, such as the position, size, views and clicks on New Tab content or ads, to understand how people are interacting with our content and to personalize future content, including sponsored content. This data may be shared with our advertising partners on a de-identified or aggregated basis.

Additionally, you can have a look at their Github changes here, which shows something else interesting:

Mozilla has deleted the lines "Does Firefox sell your personal data? Nope. Never have, never will. And we protect you from many of the advertisers who do. Firefox products are designed to protect your privacy. That’s a promise.

Another commit shows another removal of a line that notes that Firefox doesn't sell personal data

bedrock/firefox/templates/firefox/faq.html Old: Yep! The { -brand-name-firefox-browser } is free. Super free, actually. No hidden costs or anything. You don’t pay anything to use it, and we don’t sell your personal data. New: Yep! The { -brand-name-firefox-browser } is free. Super free, actually. No hidden costs or anything. You don’t pay anything to use it.

Scrolling further down, you can see a response to a comment questioning it

As Mozilla moves forward, we will focus on becoming the trusted software company. This is not a slogan. It is a direction that guides how we build and how we grow. It means three things. - First: Every product we build must give people agency in how it works. Privacy, data use, and AI must be clear and understandable. Controls must be simple. AI should always be a choice — something people can easily turn off. People should know why a feature works the way it does and what value they get from it. - Second: our business model must align with trust. We will grow through transparent monetization that people recognize and value. - Third: Firefox will grow from a browser into a broader ecosystem of trusted software. Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions.

AI features in firefox shouldn't be "something you can easily turn off", they should be opt-in. Firefox users don't want an AI-browser, people use firefox because it's perceived as a browser that gives users more control, that doesnt try to force garbage ads or AI on you.