Firefox for Android starting to share location data with third parties

42 pointssimpss1y ago9 comments

Today i got a notification on my phone, that firefox is changing how it handles my location data and that it might be shared with third parties[1].

This update is yet to be included in the official play store page[2], but has already taken affect for the installed application.

[1] - https://i.imgur.com/8rBB8k4.jpeg

[2] - See play store snapshot, that states "no data is shared with third parties": https://web.archive.org/web/20250310211223/https://play.google.com/store/apps/datasafety?id=org.mozilla.firefox&hl=en-us

9 comments

karmakaze1y ago

I don't allow location access for Firefox or other apps. Even with delivery apps I'll manually enter pickup address (or use saved nicknames).

I mostly leave location services disabled altogether (as it saves a good amount of battery).

taauji1y ago

> I mostly leave location services disabled altogether

how do you get around using navigation. that was the only reason that prevented me from turning off location permanently.

karmakaze1y ago

I've lived in and around Toronto for 50+ years. I don't use any navigation, unless you count spoken directions.

You know people got around fine without GPS (though paper maps are a hassle). I do use it if I'm in another city but that's rather infrequent.

1 more reply

WayToDoor1y ago

Third party, such as other websites when giving explicit permission? This sounds fine to me.

simpssOP1y ago

I wish that was the case.

Opening the "data safety" section another pop-up[1] comes up and the specific use-cases listed are "advertising or marketing" and "personalisation".

[1] - https://i.imgur.com/QwqiQna.jpeg

Andaith1y ago

Isn't that just what has to be selected in the play store to allow the app to access/use the localization framework in Android? It doesn't guarantee they're sharing information. They could still do it on a site by site bases with in-app approvals?

I guess the concept has gone from "We don't support this at all" to "We support it but won't be evil, you have to trust us."

How much do we trust Mozilla/Firefox? You could always go read the code yourself: https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central or just do what most people do and hope someone else audits it :)

1 more reply

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Firefox for Android starting to share location data with third parties

42 pointssimpss1y ago9 comments

Today i got a notification on my phone, that firefox is changing how it handles my location data and that it might be shared with third parties[1].

This update is yet to be included in the official play store page[2], but has already taken affect for the installed application.

[1] - https://i.imgur.com/8rBB8k4.jpeg

9 comments

karmakaze1y ago

I don't allow location access for Firefox or other apps. Even with delivery apps I'll manually enter pickup address (or use saved nicknames).

I mostly leave location services disabled altogether (as it saves a good amount of battery).

taauji1y ago

> I mostly leave location services disabled altogether

how do you get around using navigation. that was the only reason that prevented me from turning off location permanently.

karmakaze1y ago

I've lived in and around Toronto for 50+ years. I don't use any navigation, unless you count spoken directions.

You know people got around fine without GPS (though paper maps are a hassle). I do use it if I'm in another city but that's rather infrequent.

1 more reply

WayToDoor1y ago

Third party, such as other websites when giving explicit permission? This sounds fine to me.

simpssOP1y ago

I wish that was the case.

Opening the "data safety" section another pop-up[1] comes up and the specific use-cases listed are "advertising or marketing" and "personalisation".

[1] - https://i.imgur.com/QwqiQna.jpeg

Andaith1y ago

I guess the concept has gone from "We don't support this at all" to "We support it but won't be evil, you have to trust us."

How much do we trust Mozilla/Firefox? You could always go read the code yourself: https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central or just do what most people do and hope someone else audits it :)

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse