Mozilla revised its Terms of Use after user objections to clarify that it will not take ownership of user data.
Mozilla’s recent updates to the Firefox browser’s Terms of Use have ignited a firestorm of controversy over how the software will handle user data moving forward. The revised terms contain a new clause that requires users to grant Mozilla a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use any information they enter into the browser.
Because this presumably could include sensitive data such as browsing history and passwords, Firefox users took to platforms like the Mozilla Connect Community to express concerns, such as that their browsing data could be used to train AI models.
The company updated its original blog post regarding the new Terms of Use to clarify the confusion surrounding the revisions. Mozilla claimed that these were necessary for basic browser functionality and that the company does not claim ownership of user data.
Mozilla also took this opportunity to explain why a key paragraph had been removed from the Terms of Use wherein the company promised not to sell user data. The browser developer claimed this has to do with the supposed legal ambiguity surrounding the word “sell” in different jurisdictions, which can differ from the common understanding of the word.