- Mozilla has reinstated previously banned Firefox add-ons in Russia that were designed to circumvent state censorship, such as a VPN and a tool to access Tor websites.
- The ban was initially imposed at the request of Russia’s internet censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, but Mozilla lifted it to support an open and accessible internet.
- Mozilla’s decision reflects its commitment to users in Russia and globally, despite the potential risks associated with the regulatory environment in Russia.
Russia is 100% going to force local ISPs and local VPN developers to block Mozilla domains.
That said, good for Mozilla for doing what’s right, even if it means their installed base will get decimated in Russia.
They don’t even need to force it. Every ISP in Russia has government-managed DPI hardware that filters all use traffic performs such blocking. No cooperation from ISPs is necessary.
Correct. The cooperation has already happened.
I guess it’s worth it when the other option is to basically become a state controlled tool that doesn’t offer any good for the Russian people.
I’m more worried that this will give malicious non-state actors and, worse still, the Russian government easier access to Russian citizens seeking the ability to look behind the veil. The result of this repression will be inexperienced folks downloading an exe and quietly being logged as a dissident or innocent people finding their information compromised or hardware hijacked. Sourcing clean, difficult to track downloads of these addons and Firefox will become important in the near future.
This is what Tor exists for
Absolutely true! But tor can be more than a bit intimidating for new users. Many people hold preconceptions that may prevent them from using it, much less browsing a .onion. “Install Firefox and 4 addons” seems like a layperson’s simplest start and simplifying access to information is indescribably useful. As I said, I do not disagree.
Sadly blocked in russia
How can they block tor?!
Probably the protocol itself. Bridges exist though.
I’m wondering where all the people that filled the other threads complaining about how Mozilla was evil and “enshittifying” are, now.
There’s nothing to be outraged about, so I guess not here.
I was one, I’ll admit it and I’m glad I was wrong
As far as why? Because FF/Mozilla positions themselves as THE browser for privacy and “For the people”, but Mozilla is also a for-profit company so I’m always expecting the worst out of them just like I have for so many other for-profit companies
Just look at Canonical, they’re pursuing an IPO RN and are already in the early stages of enshittification because of it.
Canonical has been in the early stages of enshittification for a dozen years.
Mozilla is a non profit organisation.
You’re basically mad because you’re misinformed, not because of reality.
They’re both; Mozilla Foundation, the non-profit org, is the parent of Mozilla Corporation, the for-profit organization I’m talking about.
Mozilla Corporation is in charge of distribution of the official download and development coordination and some other things. Now the Foundation is in charge over them admittedly, but I see that as a bit like playing with fire.
I wouldn’t say mad, more…just prepared for the worst
Maybe those expressions had a part in Mozilla’s reversal?
What are you taking a victory lap for exactly?
If anything, a small victory lap is for all those people you sound smug about.
Ah, so one of those people did show up.
Don’t feed the trolls folks
You’re right, I should know better.
Whatever helps you sleep at night
?
Let them be on the wrong side of history lol I simply do not understand people who go out of their way to attack Mozilla/firefox. It’s baffling.
God, I hate fanboyism. Maybe, maybe the criticism was warranted? idk just a thought. If someone fucks up everyone can point it out. Of course there are always people who will defend and deny anything no matter what… like star citizen fans or hardcore apple fans
Now we can see that they corrected some of their mistakes, very good
But nah some ripcord must try to stir shit instead of enjoying the good news. Apparently being still salty about bad comments smearing their favourite company…
Yeah well Mozilla is probably on of the more ok things to fanboy if someone absolutely can’t live without that but it’s still a bit cringe
I was one too. Glad they caved to the criticisms and reinstated the extension. It doesn’t absolve them of removing it in the first place and trying to pull a sneaky, but at least they listened.
Where are we now? Well wherever we are it sounds like us internet moaners stay winning.
That’s one way of viewing it i guess. My guess would have been that an organization like Mozilla has to make sure what the consequences are for not complying, and after they figured out there was no real danger they did the right thing.
It’s easy to say they should always do the right thing, but they have to keep in mind their own safety, and that of their project too, it’s not an easy thing to balance.
Eh, I don’t think the Russian government would literally send hundreds of assassins abroad to kill everyone associated with the project and DDOS their website and whatnot for not complying with an internet censorship request but I see your point
Who’s talking about abroad? Maybe they have peoplke in russia working on the project and they need to check their safety?
Well, the sole idea that they accepted this in the first place is a pretty bad sign… anyway, firefox is still the best option we have
They…didn’t. As they said, and keeps getting repeated over and over here, they temporarily disabled it while they figured out their options. I’m guessing involving lawyers.
Then they decided.
Wow. That was a lot more temporary than I anticipated.
They did say they were just doing it temporarily until they looked at options and figured out what to do.
But yeah, it’s nice it didn’t take long to decide.
I’m glad to hear that!
Some Mozilla execs are going to get tossed out of windows.
Can we know the name of this mysterious addon by now? Are the authors of these reports afraid to be poisoned by putin if they say it?
They’re threatened by Russia.
Did you read past the headline? They’re restoring add-ons banned by the Russian government, defying Russia.
Teeeechnically that could mean Russia is threatening them over it, in which case they are threatened by Russia. But that’s just me being a pedantic pain in the ass before bed.
