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Why's everyone freaking out about Firefox Terms of Service? Isn't it Open Source?
(lemmy.dbzer0.com)
this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2025
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Mozilla is changing the license used for the Firefox executable/binary. The TOS will be the governing license over Firefox, the branded browser executable. It will no longer be open source, as defined by the Open Source Initiative, as users are no longer free to use the software however they want. Firefox will now be source available.
The source code for the browser, is (at least as of this comment) FOSS under the MPL2 license. People are free to recompile the browser under a different name (e.g. Librewolf, Waterfox, etc.).
This is not FUD. I read through the new TOS, Acceptable Use Policy, and Privacy Policy. Since the browser executable was governed under the MPL2, there was little concern from the open source community. I made my judgement from those documents alone.
Ughh, don't make me switch my browser again...
There was a post made my Mozilla years ago (I'm too lazy to find it). It was in the shadow of Chrome getting more scummy. Anyway, paraphrasing horribly, the idea was that the humble web browser was starting to become an increasingly personal decision. It represents you in ways that many people may not fully appreciate, comprehend, or understand. Your browser history tells people what you like, what you are afraid of. Increasingly, it tells corporations and governments who you talk to, where you're going, and what you're up to.
It's why it's important for a browser to be built for people, not for corporations.
It's so sad to see how far Mozilla has gone from that stance.
So I get how challenging and annoying changing a browser is because in many ways, it's you. It's who you are. But, like in life, sometimes we must choose to leave the friends who bring us down. It hurts, it sucks. But it's the way of life.
I've spent a good part of this morning switching things over to Waterfox. It's not perfect. There are gaps and for some reason, I can port over Chrome and Edge profiles but NOT firefox profiles. But sometimes a fresh start is good too.
Ironically, I just made !waterfox@programming.dev last night, haha.
Subbed! And made the first post!
Is there one for LibreWolf ?
I made one at !librewolf@programming.dev
Apparently there is: https://lemmy.ml/c/librewolf
Honestly I stay away from Lemmy.ML for obvious reasons (Programming.dev is far nicer)
Why this not librewolf
Because I am but one man. 😂
Waterfox was what I noticed first. If waterfox didn't work out, it's next. Followed by ladybird.
I think the painful reality is, is that the availability of good honest, privacy focused browsers are narrowing. Mozilla just had to go and make it harder. I'm personally using LibreWolf myself.
LibreWolf my dude. Everything still works as if in FireFox.
That's only works so long as Firefox stays alive and in development.
LibreWolf relies on Firefox being funded, if Firefox dies then LibreWolf also dies. Tens of millions of dollars go into engineering salaries to keep Firefox up-to-date on web standards, features, and performance. LibreWolf benefits from this.
First, mostly as if in Firefox. Go open Netflix, just for the laugh of it.
Second, a fork that depends on Mozilla's power to develop the upstream is not really in the clear. From a licensing perspective, sure. But let's assume the worst (because it's 2025 after all). Firefox is no longer open source. Sure, we can fork from where they left. But building, maintaining, and evolving a browser engine (and the browser itself) requires substantial work. Which means, developers/maintainers, and money. And staying on a "bare" browser might not be viable as long as standards keeps evolving and 95% of people will not care about that stuff.
All that to say, a fork is an option for now. A more tangible solution for the future is needed. A new "Mozilla" without the $millions CEO and structure, Mozilla splitting Firefox into a clean base and a commercial product, something else. But not a fork that just follow Firefox source.
😩 Fuck, I know right?
I found it ironically frustrating that converting from Firefox to LibreWolf is harder than from literally any other browser, because there's no import mechanism.
It wouldn't be that hard to make a standalone tool to import bookmarks, passwords, and config settings, and would make LibreWolf a seamless transition for Firefox users. Instead, it's a frustrating process in re-creating years of tweaks.
It uses the same profiles and configuration as Firefox. Should just have to rename the configuration folder to
.librewolf?How can Firefox not be open source if its sources are under the MPL2 ?
It has always been the case that Firefox is a trademark and you can't distribute it under that name. However if the code is open source the project is too.
As of today, the latest Firefox Version 135.0.1 Binaries are released under MPL 2, which is open source.
Whenever the terms are implemented, the Terms of Use will replace the MPL for the binaries. Open source has a strict definition and goes beyond source code.
The Terms of Use, as current proposed, would violate #5 ("No discrimination against Persons or Groups") as the TOU allows for Mozilla to terminate your use of Firefox for any reason.
As a result, their binary moves from Open Source via the MPL to Source Available, via a proprietary license.