All articles tagged with #mozilla
Mozilla’s Firefox 149 will include a free built-in VPN (50 GB/month in the US, France, Germany and the UK) starting March 24, plus two new features—Split View and Tab Notes—while also introducing a new mascot named Kit, all as part of Mozilla’s push for privacy and open web standards.
Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 reportedly scanned Firefox for bugs, finding over 100 issues in two weeks, including 14 high-severity flaws. Mozilla validated and fixed many of these findings and expanded collaboration to apply the approach across more of the browser codebase, highlighting AI-assisted security analysis as a powerful addition to traditional fuzzing and static analysis.
Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 identified 22 Firefox vulnerabilities (14 high, 7 moderate, 1 low) during a two-week security review with Mozilla, with most fixes shipped in Firefox 148. The AI scanned about 6,000 C++ files, produced 112 reports, and in testing could automatically develop crude exploits for two issues (including CVE-2026-2796, a JIT miscompilation in WebAssembly), though only in sandbox-stripped environments; a task verifier helped determine exploit viability. Mozilla says AI-assisted analysis uncovered roughly 90 additional bugs and underscored AI as a powerful complement to security engineering, while noting patches remain under active refinement.
Mozilla's Firefox 148 introduces centralized AI controls, including a 'Block AI enhancements' kill switch that can disable all AI features across the browser—covering translation, PDF alt-text generation, AI-driven tab grouping, link previews, and the built-in AI chatbot sidebar—emphasizing privacy and security with Nightly early access for enterprise testing.
Mozilla will add an AI controls panel in Firefox 148 featuring a 'Block AI enhancements' toggle that lets users block all current and future AI features or selectively enable five tools (translations, image alt text for PDFs, AI‑assisted tab naming, link previews, and a chatbot sidebar). The controls begin in Nightly on Feb 24 and roll out to all desktop users later in February, reflecting Mozilla’s emphasis on user choice and persistence of preferences across updates.
Mozilla says Firefox 148, rolling out Feb. 24, will add per-feature AI controls (translations, PDF alt text, AI-powered tab grouping, link previews, and the AI chatbot in the sidebar) plus a global Block AI Enhancements toggle, allowing users to disable all current and future AI features or choose which to use.
Mozilla's Firefox plans to include an option to disable all AI features, dubbed the 'AI kill switch,' in response to user backlash against AI integration in browsers. Despite assurances of user control, concerns remain about the true opt-in nature of AI features, with some users skeptical about Mozilla's commitment to user choice. Meanwhile, competitors like Vivaldi emphasize maintaining user autonomy and privacy, rejecting passive AI integration.
Waterfox, a Firefox fork, is taking a stand against AI integration, explicitly refusing to include large language models (LLMs) in its browser, in contrast to Mozilla's plans for a more AI-enabled Firefox ecosystem. Mozilla has responded by promising an opt-in AI feature with a kill switch, but Waterfox's stance appeals to users seeking an AI-free browsing experience. Waterfox continues to cater to users who value privacy, customization, and legacy add-ons, positioning itself as a preferred alternative amidst Mozilla's evolving AI ambitions.
Mozilla's new CEO plans to transform Firefox into a 'modern AI browser' by investing in AI and expanding the browser into a broader ecosystem, despite community backlash over default AI features that many find unnecessary and intrusive.
Mozilla's new CEO aims to transform Firefox into a modern AI browser with enhanced privacy controls, including a toggle to turn AI features off, and diversify revenue streams beyond search engine royalties, amidst declining market share and rising competition.
Mozilla has appointed Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as CEO to focus on expanding AI integration in Firefox, emphasizing responsible AI use and user choice, amidst a broader effort to innovate in the browser space and diversify revenue streams, while maintaining its commitment to privacy.
The article discusses the author's mixed feelings about Mozilla and Firefox, criticizing Mozilla's management, executive compensation, and strategic decisions, while also acknowledging Firefox's technical strengths and the community's attachment. The author expresses a desire to support Firefox directly and highlights broader issues of corporate influence and open internet advocacy.
The author is leaving Firefox due to concerns over Mozilla's management, declining innovation, and loss of focus on open-source and Linux communities, and is switching to Opera, which they trust more for its reliability, user-centric features, and aesthetic appeal.
Mozilla has removed the Do Not Track (DNT) feature from Firefox after 13 years, marking the end of a privacy initiative that never gained regulatory support or effectiveness. Despite initial enthusiasm, DNT was undermined by advancements in tracking technologies and lack of enforcement, leading major companies like Yahoo and Apple to abandon it. Mozilla's decision is largely symbolic, as users now rely on other methods to manage online privacy, such as choosing privacy-conscious services or using software tools.
Mozilla plans to remove the Do Not Track (DNT) feature from Firefox 135, acknowledging that few websites honor the request not to track users. Instead, Mozilla suggests using the Global Privacy Control (GPC), which has gained traction due to privacy laws like California's Consumer Privacy Act and the EU's GDPR. However, GPC's effectiveness is uncertain, as major browsers like Chrome and Edge do not support it natively, prompting users to consider additional privacy tools like extensions or VPNs.