Google Returns As Default Search Engine In Firefox (techcrunch.com)

Mozilla today launched Firefox Quantum, which the company is calling "the biggest update since Firefox 1.0 in 2004." It brings massive performance improvements and a visual redesign. It also sets Google as the default search engine again if you live in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan. TechCrunch reports: In 2014, Mozilla struck a deal with Yahoo to make it the default search engine provider for users in the U.S., with Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo and others as options. While it was a small change, it was part of a number of moves that turned users against Firefox because it didn't always feel as if Mozilla had the user's best interests in mind. Firefox Quantum (aka, Firefox 57), is the company's effort to correct its mistakes and it's good to see that Google is back in the default slot. When Mozilla announced the Yahoo deal in 2014, it said that this was a five-year deal. Those five years are obviously not up yet. We asked Mozilla for a bit more information about what happened here.

"We exercised our contractual right to terminate our agreement with Yahoo! based on a number of factors including doing what's best for our brand, our effort to provide quality web search, and the broader content experience for our users. We believe there are opportunities to work with Oath and Verizon outside of search," Mozilla Chief Business and Legal Officer Denelle Dixon said in a statement. "As part of our focus on user experience and performance in Firefox Quantum, Google will also become our new default search provider in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan. With over 60 search providers pre-installed as defaults or secondary options across more than 90 language versions, Firefox has more choice in search providers than any other browser."

Comments

XUL & Ideology go together

[Antiocheian]

It was only a couple days ago when Firefox was quoting Vogue Culture News for this:

Break up with Google.

Use a web browser you have more control over, and which has more plug-ins that you can use for privacy, such as Firefox.

Whatever Mozilla. Keep pretending the "champion of the Internet", it's part of your act.

Re:XUL & Ideology go together

[Wootery]

Keep pretending the "champion of the Internet", it's part of your act.

They are, though. The fact is that Google is the best search engine out there, and putting anything but Google as the default search engine does nothing but annoy users. Mozilla have to be pragmatic and pick their battles.

It's like with EME. If Firefox supports it, people like you call them traitors to their ideology. If Firefox doesn't support it, people mock Firefox for being the only browser that doesn't.

Re:XUL & Ideology go together

[CastrTroy]

I mean, they could just ask people when they install the thing which search engine they wanted to use. Default to no search engine unless they explicitly select something. I don't even use the search bar that much. I usually just actually go to Google (or whichever search engine) if I want to actually search something.

My biggest annoyance about them going with Yahoo a few years back was that they made the change to existing installs. I had already chosen a search engine on all my machines. Why would they change the search engine I'm using because of a software upgrade. I hope they aren't doing the same thing again. If somebody has already made the choice to go with Bing, Yahoo, Duck Duck Go, or whatever other search engine, I don't think that Firefox should go around changing it on people.

Users' best interests...

[ReluctantRefactorer]

Surely if Mozilla really had users' best interests in mind they'd make DuckDuckGo the default search option?