EU Privacy Rights Group noyb Files Complaint Against Mozilla
Mozilla, the nonprofit organization behind the popular web browser Firefox, has been hit with a complaint by European Union privacy rights group noyb (none of your business). The complaint alleges that Mozilla is violating the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by tracking Firefox users by default without their permission.
A "Tracking Tool" in Disguise?
The feature at issue, called "Privacy Preserving Attribution" (PPA), was recently deployed in Firefox. However, noyb argues that this technology is misleadingly named and actually turns the browser into a tracking tool for websites. According to noyb, PPA allows Firefox to track user behavior on websites, which is a significant departure from Mozilla’s usual stance on privacy.
A Familiar Pattern?
The effort to move from cookie-based tracking of web users to browser-level tracking may seem familiar to those who have been following the developments in the tech industry. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards incorporating more sophisticated tracking technologies into browsers, including Firefox. However, noyb’s complaint suggests that Mozilla may be going further than ever before.
Mozilla’s Response
In response to the complaint, Mozilla released a statement saying that it welcomes opportunities to engage with stakeholders and regulators as it builds out the technology. The company admitted that its communications around the effort have been poor and promised to do better in the future.
"We continue to believe PPA is an important step toward improving privacy on the internet and look forward to working with noyb and others to clear up confusion about our approach," said a spokesperson for Mozilla.
The Context
Mozilla’s development of PPA is motivated by concerns over moves in certain jurisdictions to block anti-tracking features in browsers. The company believes that addressing both technical and regulatory threats to user privacy are essential for protecting online users.
However, the complicating strand here is that Google remains Mozilla’s main source of revenue, thanks to a long-standing search deal that sees Google pay Firefox to have its eponymous search engine set as the default browser.
What’s Next?
The complaint filed by noyb has significant implications for the tech industry and online users. If Mozilla is found to be violating GDPR, it could lead to severe penalties and damage to the company’s reputation. On the other hand, if the complaint is dismissed, it could set a precedent for other companies to follow suit.
As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how noyb and Mozilla engage with each other and with regulators. Will Mozilla be able to convince noyb that PPA is indeed a step towards improving online privacy, or will the company’s reputation take a hit?
Additional Reading
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