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Mozilla Debuts Firefox Extension that Recommends Content Based on Your Browsing Activity (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the interesting-moves dept.

Mozilla on Tuesday began testing a Firefox extension that shows you its best guesses for what you want to see on the web. From a report: The Advance web extension is available for anyone from today and can analyze content on current active web pages to recommend related tidbits you may want to "read next" from other websites. It will also surface recommendations based on your recent browsing history in a "for you" section. With the extension installed, you just browse the web as you normally would and the little sidebar will show things that are relevant to what you've been looking at. The extension is powered by Laserlike, a VC-funded, machine learning-powered "interest search engine" that delivers personalized content. As such, Laserlike will receive users' browsing history -- something Mozilla wants people to understand before they install the extension. But the company has also built in some tools to boost control and data transparency.

102 comments

  1. Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And please be **specific**....

    1. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The NSA and the GCHQ.

    2. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They don't need you to see the data they collect on you, spaz.

    3. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Some project team at Mozilla, same as the ones that want to ignore your DNS settings and route it all through their selected provider. Or the ones that forced pocket into the browser when it should have been an extension. Maybe even the ones who hilariously run this.

    4. Re:Who asked for this? by vux984 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If I had to guess I would expect Laserlike is paying for this, and is paying Mozilla to develop and promote it.

      And that's fine.

      It's an extension.
      And it's pretty clearly disclosed what it does.

      It's not something I would ever want; but its the right way to do it, and really its how pocket should have been done too.

    5. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I agree pocket should have been an extension.

      I will be irked if this extension is on by default.

    6. Re:Who asked for this? by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      You mean Mozilla has finally discovered a business model: companies willing to pay them to subject their users to ads?

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    7. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Who asked for this? Anyone who misses StumbleUpon. It shut down in June and was extremely popular for a while. Users are willing to give up privacy, or ignore privacy policies, for extra lulz on the web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    8. Re:Who asked for this? by gman003 · · Score: 2

      If they can do a better job of it than Google, I'm all for it.

      Google *also* has access to all my browsing, as much as I try not to let them, and they make some hilariously bad recommendations despite all that info. "Oh, you're really big into astronomy and space exploration? Here's a horoscope (for a different astrological sign, not that it matters), a Nabiru conspiracy theory, some Apollo conspiracy theories, and some supermoon crap", "Oh, you watch Youtube documentaries on WW1? Did you know Obama is still coming to take your guns away?", "Oh, you've been searching for info on how Super Nintendo graphics worked and haven't found as much as you hoped? Let's fill that void with rants about SJWs ruining video games. I know you've got a Tumblr and voted for Hillary and probably actually *are* a SJW, but trust me, you want to read this.", "Oh, you're into Magic: The Gathering? Here's the results of the last big Texas Hold'Em tournament. Card games are all basically the same, right?".

      Mozilla's also shown a higher willingness to consider privacy. Their existing "you might be interested in" system is strictly client-side - it downloads a small database, and then client-side determines which ones are relevant to you, so your history never has to leave your machine. I don't know if this new one will work the same way, but my baseline expectations are higher than for just about anyone else.

    9. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their existing "you might be interested in" system is strictly client-side - it downloads a small database, and then client-side determines which ones are relevant to you

      So basically Mozilla tells you what they want you to see? What could go wrong!

    10. Re:Who asked for this? by vux984 · · Score: 1

      What do you think their previous business model was?

      How was "Take money from google to make it the default search engine" any different?

    11. Re:Who asked for this? by JMJimmy · · Score: 1

      Their bottom line. They need to bring on non-Google revenue somehow to keep paying for the redesigns and cutting of features

    12. Re:Who asked for this? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      How was "Take money from google to make it the default search engine" any different?

      It was different from pocket in that making google the default search engine doesn't involve adding code. Pocket integration is different from this in that it wasn't an extension like it should have been, even if bundled with the browser.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    13. Re:Who asked for this? by mikael · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Then they will supply it pre-installed with Firefox downloads. Then to improve speed and performance, it becomes built into the browser.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    14. Re:Who asked for this? by higuita · · Score: 1

      no, companies that are willing to pay to have mozilla promote their extensions... is up to you to install then or not.

      most people trust mozilla in to protect your data, so any of those companies will either to have a good privacy policy or pay even more for mozilla to recommend then

      Imagine facebook recomending this extension... would anybody trust it? now look at mozilla or FSF recommending some extension? the feeling is for sure different (more for some than others, but totally different from facebook)

      --
      Higuita
    15. Re:Who asked for this? by higuita · · Score: 1

      +1 to this!

      If this extension is easy to enable and disable, (or even better, using the firefox containers, "open tracking and suggestion tab"), i can use it to search for info and debuging, we could find new hidden gens line with stumbleupon

      --
      Higuita
    16. Re:Who asked for this? by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

      If I had to guess I would expect Laserlike is paying for this, and is paying Mozilla to develop and promote it.

      And what kind of custom API support (or hooks) is Mozilla enabling to support this extension that they wouldn't for other extension developers who haven't forked over any $$$? Is it the kind of access they asserted isn't allowed / supported anymore with Web Extensions? I'm not saying this is something to argue over, but it would show where everyone is on the food chain... Hopefully, it's just a "normal" extension that *won't* come bundled with Firefox -- because, seriously, who would actually want this?

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    17. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I miss StumbleUpon a great deal, but I don't even know if I'd sign up again if it were revived.
      My perspective on the internet and big data has changed a lot in the intervening period and I don't want some website to be able to track my browsing history.
      If the plug-in were somehow implemented in a decentralised fashion I would be all over it though.

    18. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And please be **specific**....

      It's a browser addon. So people that install it are the ones asking for it.

    19. Re:Who asked for this? by nospam007 · · Score: 2

      I did.
      I'm a Bigfoot porn aficionado and I wanted to see new sites but this extensions only shows me Sasquatch and Yeti porn, which is completely different.
      After all I'm no perv.

    20. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby." --H. L. Mencken

    21. Re:Who asked for this? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      You should see what this extension recommended to me. I'm a fan of hentai, furry, tentacles, etc. You know, the normal stuff. But the things this extension recommended me will haunt my nightmares:

      Monochromatic, black and white hentai mangas. The horror.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    22. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who asked for this? Anyone who misses StumbleUpon. It shut down in June and was extremely popular for a while. Users are willing to give up privacy, or ignore privacy policies, for extra lulz on the web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      Was popular for awhile. Then shut down. Presumably less popular. So the handful of people who still cared. That's your best reply to "who asked for this?"

    23. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe even the ones who hilariously run this

      WTF? They're actually promoting products that violate privacy.

      Yeah, fuck Mozilla.

    24. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And please be **specific**..

      That's not the important question here.

      Will it help rid social media, content platforms, and the internet in general of conservatives, libertarians, and other similar dangerous nutcases that oppose replacing capitalism with socialism and/or communism in the US?

      That's the important question.

      I applaud YT/Google, FB, and Twitter et al for de-platforming Alex Jones. Now to get rid of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, etc etc and their audiences. They are obviously too stupid and dangerous to be allowed a wide-reaching public platform they can use to spread their Nazi hate speech and disinformation and coordinate their violent riots.

    25. Re:Who asked for this? by vux984 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And we can properly call that out when it happens. But right now, doing it as a separate and optional extension that is not enabled by default is about as reasonable as it gets.

    26. Re:Who asked for this? by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

      Google *also* has access to all my browsing, as much as I try not to let them,

      So Google has your "browsing history", or Google knows when you click on a Google search link or on News.Google.Com?

      You do realize that even though Google shows the correct target link in the status bar, it actually front-ends the link to visit themselves before it forwards you to the target? Just because Google knows what you're reading (by a Google reference) doesn't mean they automatically know your entire browser history.

      OTOH if you type "facebook com" and click on the suggested link, then they probably DO know you're going to facebook. I think Google sucks in as much as they possibly can, but I don't think they suck in EVERY single thing you do.

      --
      If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
    27. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For that matter, Firefox is free software, so Mozilla couldn't shove it down our throats like other companies do with their data collection.

    28. Re:Who asked for this? by gman003 · · Score: 1

      My privacy died a death by a thousand cuts.

      There's searches. I use Google because they're actually the best I've found, and I don't bother using any of the "anonymizing" Google frontends because it's futile. All it would tell them is that I'm trying to hide.

      There's Android. I do run Firefox on my phone, as gimped as the mobile version is, but I have to assume they get at least broad-level telemetry of what I'm browsing on mobile from their OS-level crap. And worst-case, they snoop my history on that, which I have set to sync with my desktops because that's really convenient, and now they've got 100%. I don't think they're that evil yet, but it's certainly possible. (They also get my location data, call history, and app usage, but that's not relevant to my browsing history)

      There's their CDN. Tons of fonts, javascript libraries and web frameworks get hosted by Google for all kinds of unrelated sites. Maybe they aren't tracking that, but I wouldn't bet against it. Hit a random site, it's 50/50 whether something from Google loads. Probably more like 95% if you don't have adblock.

      Finally, there's GMail. It isn't directly snooping my browser history but they get every link I follow out of an email.

      So after that, I'd guess 70-80% of my browsing is in Google's hands. And I don't really know which 20-30% they don't have, so I have to assume they have all of it.

      And I honestly wouldn't mind if they actually managed to do something useful with it. The whole concept of targeted ads is literally a joke at this point, their news suggestions are a crapshoot, and Youtube's recommendations are pathetic (quick study: of the 18 videos in the "recommended" right now, 12 are from channels I'm already subscribed to, 1 is from a channel I used to be subscribed to, and the last 5 are from channels who I have recently watched a video from). I can't help but feel like I could do better myself if I tried.

    29. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Waiting around for the inevitable bad outcome and then "calling it out" is the most idiotic, pointless strategy. Is Mozilla going to undo what they've spent months working on and openly telegraphing because someone "called them out"?

    30. Re:Who asked for this? by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      Found the DNC's 2020 Presidential candidate!

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    31. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Waiting around for the inevitable bad outcome and then "calling it out" is the most idiotic, pointless strategy. Is Mozilla going to undo what they've spent months working on and openly telegraphing because someone "called them out"?

      With this optional and up-front extension, Mozilla is showing its customers a level of respect that is quite rare in the tech world. 95% of all tech goods and services should be called out for their strategies; calling out the remaining 5% because they could be twisted into something bad in the future renders you voiceless.

      Still, I fully appreciate the value in building things which cannot easily be turned rotten in the future. Bitcoin is the stand-out example having successfully thwarted a Jekyll Island-style take-over late last year. Perhaps rather than complaining about Mozilla's extension you could find a project that hopes to provide similar value in a more future-safe way or starting one if none exists.

    32. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the market leader in predicting what web content people will want to consume is not Google, it is these guys.

    33. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      who would actually want this?

      Probably quite a few people. Unfortunately that demographic probably overlaps quite heavily with the population of people who don't know enough about computers to install extensions. Quite possibly the demographic overlaps heavily with the population of people who don't know enough about computers to install and use Firefox in the first place.

      Makes one wonder what else is going on here.

    34. Re:Who asked for this? by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      It's open source man. If they start adding this to the source then bitch.

    35. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "GET OUT OF MY MIND!" and stay out. I don't care how transparent you tell me you are.

    36. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why it's enraging enough to make one forget that the search bar was first added to have Google "built in" to Firefox, is a relatively large and intricate feature, and has required far more significant maintenance over the years.

    37. Re:Who asked for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google: Would you like to see this story about the Kardashians?
      Me:
      Google: What if I gave you links to random lists of products?
      Me: I'm leaving you.
      Google: How about the Fox News investigation after Pretty Girl #516 Dies on Vacation? **
      Me: Restraining order.

      ** Seriously, does Fox have a whole department for those?

  2. First Hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hosts File To The Rescue

    I plan to block these services with kernel level SPEED using APK's Host File Engine, and suggest you do, too! That dude is a genius!

  3. Still No! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    >Laserlike, a VC-funded, machine learning-powered "interest search engine" that delivers personalized content.

    Yeah. Sounds as legit as the ASK Toolbar.

    1. Re:Still No! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That description begins with finance, progresses through vague but tech-sounding buzzwords, and ends with exactly what everyone else already delivers: you know exactly in what order that company thinks (money first and hype second, with product as an afterthought). I guarantee you that they are Indians looking to turn tech hype into quick bucks.

  4. How times change by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > As such, Laserlike will receive users' browsing history -- something Mozilla wants people to understand before they install the extension.

    I guess Mozilla also wants people to understand that they are no longer the champions of privacy they've always claimed to be.

    1. Re:How times change by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Why? After all, it's not like they're trying to hijack the DNS requests of their users or something.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
  5. Recommended by Pocket by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How is this different then what is already available in Firefox as "Recommended by Pocket"?

    1. Re:Recommended by Pocket by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pocket demands an account

  6. Choice recommendation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've got an extension for the Firefox editors that keep chopping important features of their browser and replacing it with this stuff.

    It's a middle finger.

    I recommend you go enjoy your own company, in as loving a way as possible, and leave your browser development in the hands of people who actually like things like: Status bars, front end customization, a totally ad-free experience, backwards compatibility, and doing their own thing instead of imitating others and acting like you'll match their best virtues that way.

    1. Re: Choice recommendation by IanHorse · · Score: 0

      If it's open source middle finger, I'd also like to recommend it to them!

  7. No thanks ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    With the extension installed, you just browse the web as you normally would and the little sidebar will show things that are relevant to what you've been looking at. The extension is powered by Laserlike, a VC-funded, machine learning-powered "interest search engine" that delivers personalized content. As such, Laserlike will receive users' browsing history -- something Mozilla wants people to understand before they install the extension.

    No thanks ... I don't want recommendations, least of all from a third party who wants to scrape my browsing history and undoubtedly plans to profit from it.

    There's enough ad and analytics shit on the interwebs to block, I'm not signing up for more.

  8. The usual question when we get a new gimmick by Opportunist · · Score: 1, Insightful

    How to turn it off?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:The usual question when we get a new gimmick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't install this extension? It seems that it doesn't come bundled.

    2. Re:The usual question when we get a new gimmick by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      Probably a good idea - it would be a lot more interesting to get random selections from the web instead.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    3. Re:The usual question when we get a new gimmick by burni2 · · Score: 1

      As for pocket deleting the xpi over and over again after each update it spawns again like Freddy.

      "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\browser\features\"

  9. What could possibly go wrong? by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

    "Honey, why do I keep seeing all these gay porn ads when I'm using our computer?"

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      "Um ... Well John ... I don't know? Russian hackers? Yah, that's it... Don't give me that look."

  10. Non-profits need money too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mozilla tries to maintain a balance between revenue and diligence to its users in order to continue to exist. The usual advantage of a non-profit is that since it doesn't aim at profit, its only objective is making good stuff for users. But the series of awkward partnerships that Mozilla has made and is still making gives the impression that maintaining a browser is one hell of an expensive undertaking. A transparency report on their revenue source and how it's spent would be welcome. We could as well start to think on how to control the growth of the complexity of the web to avoid it reaching the point where only big corporations have the resources to develop and maintain a browser.

  11. Thanks (not genius just a guy)... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: One that "gets the job done" as efficiently as possible vs. script trackers/ads/DNS requestlog tracking/botnets/malcripted sites/malware downloads/email malcious payloads etc.) & I do ok by registered /.ers (& I have DOZENS more) https://news.slashdot.org/comm...

    * Technically no genius here since IQ tests I've taken scored 130-140 (& iirc, "genius" is what? 180++??)

    APK

    P.S.=> I'm sick of crap being pulled on people so I built APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://www.google.com/search?... OR APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux & BSD h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p VS. thieves online the most efficient way that does more for less resources NATIVELY vs. "Bolt-On-'MoAr'" ILLOGIC-LOGIC in things full of security bugs (DNS/Antivirus/Addons that don't work by default (adblock)) - no SINGLE other 'solution' does as much for so little FREE... apk

  12. StumbleUpon Successor? by Jezral · · Score: 1

    So just as StumbleUpon dies, a possible replacement is brought to the fore. Interesting.

    (no, mix.com is not useful)

  13. You know what interests me? by smooth+wombat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What I choose to view. I don't need some lousy piece of software trying to guess what I want to view next or might be interested in, especially when someone else will use that information for their benefit. Hey, Mozilla, take your stinking software off me, you damn dirty programmers!

    --
    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    1. Re:You know what interests me? by Kjella · · Score: 2

      Yes the horror of Spotify suggesting music for you or Netflix/YouTube recommending shows or Amazon/eBay showing you similar/related items you may want. In theory I'd not be that opposed to this extension, but my biggest doubt is that I surf in many different contexts and putting them all in a blender would just get weird. So I expect that rather than being websites that suit my taste it'll be more like constant sponsored ads trying to cash in on whatever I'm looking at right now.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    2. Re:You know what interests me? by Darinbob · · Score: 3, Funny

      Based on your eating habits, we suggest a sirloin-tofu-banana smoothie with skittles sprinkles.

    3. Re:You know what interests me? by strikethree · · Score: 1

      I fully agree with you.

      To play devil's advocate here: Many people have tunnel-vision existences. They have no ability to think randomly or have any knowledge of how to discover new things. This may help those types of people.

      To play God's advocate to Devil's advocate, this will be used in an attempt at controlling what people will see. It will hide things that are unpopular to The Powers That Be. It will be used to drive people towards economic activity that may not be in their best interests.

      Meh. This software should not be distributed as part of the "base" browser. WTF Mozilla? We can see your activities and what they mean.

      --
      "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
  14. Hey, opposite...is opposite. by holophrastic · · Score: 1

    I'm looking at a news article about my local fire-fighters upcoming fire-fighters challenge event. It's on august 22nd. There's a video of last year's event.

    Because I've read this article, I now know about the event, and have decided to attend or not to attend.

    As a result, I have the information that I need.

    So what magical insight-recommendation-engine is going to suggest that I learn more about an event that I just read from official announcements?

    What do I want? I want an engine that correctly says "congratulations on finding the first-party official web-site. there's no more information about this event that isn't derived from here or is just plain conjecture. you're done reading. just go to bed."

  15. Reinventing stumbleupon? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I use firefox, and like it - but I hope this extension doesn't ship by default.

  16. Mozilla development roadmap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Keep throwing shit against the wall and see what sticks.

  17. What happens when I clear the browsing history? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just asking for a friend...

  18. It is just an optional extension. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't like it? Don't use it.

    Stop whining

  19. I am APK the LORD of HOSTS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am APK the great "LORD of HOSTS", a.k.a. AlecStaar or Alexander Peter Kowalski.

    See subject & APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / I . a m . a . f u c k i n g / a s s h o l e . r e t a r d . z i p (remove spaces between characters & download).

    I am the godlike creator of various GUI front-ends for other people's configuration files.

    Watch as I claim I win every argument when in reality I know I lost but that won't stop me from proclaiming my victory.

    When presented with facts I rebut them with wild speculations, false support, and out of context quotes

    All of my accomplishments revolve around me being proven to be an annoying spamming asshole

    See me be proud of my inability to be a functional adult

    Bask in my debilitating mental illness

    Hear me tell stories about me living large drinking miller lite in my ramshackle duplex with a roommate at age 54.

    Watch me spew some word salad because I can't string 2 words together in a coherent manner.

    I just don't understand why every site I post on everyone makes fun of me, it can't be because I am a shit stick but instead because they are all Ne'er-do-well SOYboy Jealous JOWIEs.

    Witness my descent into madness

    APK

  20. Mozilla by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    fuck you mozilla

  21. With random Milgram levels by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    How about a Firefox extension that sends an electric shock to anyone who knows enough about my browser history to recommend stuff?

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  22. Creepy... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

    ... oh so creepy.

  23. The best thing about this extension by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The best thing about this extension is that you do not have to install it.

    1. Re:The best thing about this extension by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      For now!

    2. Re:The best thing about this extension by k.a.f. · · Score: 1

      The best thing about this extension is that you do not have to install it.

      ...yet.

  24. Yeah, I want this by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Lord help the relatives if I ever dropped dead without a chance to reach out theatrically as I took my last breath to nuke this app. That cute little sidebar would probably read like the subject catalog of YouPorn, with maybe a few categories thrown in even they haven't thought of yet.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  25. Why do you speak as me & you're not I? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See my subject & answer that: & Why do you also STALK me by UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous posts as well? AFRAID to stand behind your lies??

    * THIS I have to hear, lol - it WILL truly be a classic I'm sure!

    (CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE SUDDENLY? You wouldn't answer LAST TIME I ASKED IT + YOU DOWNMOD "HID" IT (the sure sign of YOUR total SELF-defeat) https://it.slashdot.org/commen... )

    Plus, since you say I'm the "Lord of Hosts"? My "portrait & themesong" https://www.youtube.com/watch?... so SATAN, get thee behind me.

    APK

    P.S.=> Grow up you obsessed loon who not only IMPERSONATES me but also STALKS me by UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous posts constantly... apk

  26. Great! What we need, more echo chambers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How about suggestions to balance your views, instead of keep showing you one side of the world.

  27. Glad to be a Linux user... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    because it's crap like this added to browsers that is untenable. We're being "herded" into what "they" want. The more I use uzbl-tabbed as a browser, the more I really like it. It does one thing well, following in the UNIX tradition. If you are on a *nix-based OS, check it out.

    Uzbl - Web Interface Tools

    1. Re:Glad to be a Linux user... by higuita · · Score: 1

      5 commits since last year (and only minor bug fixes), no new releases for 2 years... sorry to tell you, but "It's dead, Jim!"

      Your only security protection is that is little known, but as it used webkit, you still get most of the same security bugs.... you are using a 2 years old chrome^W forget about it, webkit1 !! this is a many years old chrome.

      Not saying that the design isn't useful, but the browser code is ancient... how useful and safe it is depends of what you use.

      --
      Higuita
    2. Re:Glad to be a Linux user... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's always Lynx!

  28. Mozilla cares deeply about privacy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This extension is needed to protect your privacy.

  29. So obviously it tracks you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So its pretty obvious this would have to track your web browser in order to work properly. At least through some sort of identifier with the extension or browser. Well if even lower market share is what Mozilla is after I guess this is a great way to achieve that. Firefox is already at the doors of being irreverent as Edge browser is and Opera (Chrome clone) is as well. So best of luck to the bottom dwellers of browsers. Your choices obviously have not helped your user market share.

  30. Yay, a browser with built in spying. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    n/t

  31. So much for the Survellance Economy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If they can do a better job of it than Google, I'm all for it.

    Google *also* has access to all my browsing, as much as I try not to let them, and they make some hilariously bad recommendations despite all that info. "Oh, you're really big into astronomy and space exploration? Here's a horoscope (for a different astrological sign, not that it matters), a Nabiru conspiracy theory, some Apollo conspiracy theories, and some supermoon crap", "Oh, you watch Youtube documentaries on WW1? Did you know Obama is still coming to take your guns away?", "Oh, you've been searching for info on how Super Nintendo graphics worked and haven't found as much as you hoped? Let's fill that void with rants about SJWs ruining video games. I know you've got a Tumblr and voted for Hillary and probably actually *are* a SJW, but trust me, you want to read this.", "Oh, you're into Magic: The Gathering? Here's the results of the last big Texas Hold'Em tournament. Card games are all basically the same, right?".

    Mozilla's also shown a higher willingness to consider privacy. Their existing "you might be interested in" system is strictly client-side - it downloads a small database, and then client-side determines which ones are relevant to you, so your history never has to leave your machine. I don't know if this new one will work the same way, but my baseline expectations are higher than for just about anyone else.

    You see, that's the trouble with the economy. A surveillance economy based on low-quality inputs. It leads to nowhere, and that makes our fears greatly exaggerated.

  32. StumbleUpon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was so good I had to occasionally uninstall it. Lots of great browsing suggestions to kill time, and it didn't monitor my regular browsing history. RIP.

  33. Do not want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But between trying to turn FF into Chrome, and shit like Pocket, I stopped using FF a long time ago, so I needn't worry about it.

    Captcha: wreckers

  34. pr0n by farble1670 · · Score: 1

    Why do I need an extension that links me to pr0nhub? I already have it bookmarked.

  35. problem same as other 'recommended' content by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They recommend things that are in your interest, but bent to their political or general advertisement leaning. Sort of how like FB picks and chooses among your friends' posts as to what shows up in your feed -- mostly things FB wishes you would align with.

  36. Shut up you lying sack of shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't threaten vs. a NOBODY

    Shut your fucking pie hoe you lying sack of shit.
    You threaten people all the time and when called on it you hide in the fucking corner and piss yourself.
    So come on pussycake post your fucking address

    1. Re:Shut up you lying sack of shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shut your fucking pie hoe you lying sack of shit.
      You threaten people all the time and when called on it you hide in the fucking corner and piss yourself.
      So come on pussycake post your fucking address

      He already did that years ago. Google "AlecStaar Ars Technica" to get started. If that fucking self-righteous dipshit Zontar the Mindless could find it and send him a postcard, you can too. APK even admitted that he got the card. EPIC WIN!

  37. Who gives a fuck? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First, this is what the default tab/page on Chrome has been doing for ages. It's creepy as fuck.

    Second, fuck FireFox and fuck Mozilla. I say that as an engineer at Netscape during its heydays in the late 90s. Fuck your political bullshit, fuck your agendas. You used to be "trusthworthy". You used to be the default choice for people who cared about privacy and about the user experience being all you cared about. Now you're completely untrustworthy and even if your product could be trusted, why would anyone want to actively support you as an organization?

  38. EVEN BETTER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Better yet, how about a button for: Kinda Sorta Similar Stuff

    Everyone wants to show me more of the EXACT same thing.
    I would love to surf YouTube more but can't think of a search term and the recommendations are rather NARROW to put it mildly.

    You know, now that I think about it, I look at very little on focused websites anymore. Mostly forums or Youtube. So the whole thing seems kinda redundant anyway.

  39. Curious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As regards the Firefox DNS issue, would a Pi-hole override this?

  40. What a horrible idea by dballance · · Score: 1

    As if people are not already living in their own little bubbles as it is. This will just make it easier for people to only see and hear what they already believe. They should offer an extension that recommends diverse articles, not just the same thing people are already reading.

  41. Seriously? by Indigo · · Score: 1

    It's like they're trying to make me hate them even more.

    1. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If Mozilla's innocuous and thus far harmless-at-worst actions make you hate them, then you must find it difficult to tolerate life in general.

  42. why its redshell.dll version 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FUCK OFF and QUIT telling me what can , can't or should do....

    THIS MEANS YOU

  43. So much for Open Source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So much for the Open Source Community respecting people's privacy.

    Also, this 'predicting what you want based on what you looked for in the past' model is annoying AF. I like variety. I don't want to get pigeonholed.

    Netflix seems to be doing this with their recommends lists and it has made surfing for something to watch so painful that I am seriously considering dropping my subscription. Please just go back to presenting popular movies, grouped by genres, so that I can decide what I'm in the mood for.

  44. Win? You prove you're losers... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Win? You prove you're losers - Psychos that are stalkers + FAKE NAME losers & nothing more you pussy (& that also goes for ALL your kind STALKING me by UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous like you are now too).

    * You're a WASTE of LIFE doing nothing of VALUE to anyone & you KNOW it...

    APK

    P.S.=> You're just proving it all the moreso... apk

  45. LMAO! Bugs BUNNY's more REAL than you... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WRONG unidentifiable anonymous NOBODY (you're not a real person: Bugs Bunny has more identity than YOU do shitbrain)!

    I literally threatened NO ONE (& you start w/ me constantly STALKING me by UNIDENTIFIABLE ac as you are now).

    Don't play "jailhouse lawyer" w/ me - you'll LOSE on that alone!

    Especially when even from your 'example' PROVES you START it harassing/stalking me 1st & constantly as you are now too!

    So yes, & I tell 'your kind' I'll smash your face IF face to face (& yes, I mean it)!

    Again - Only problem for you LEGALLY??

    YOU'RE NOT A REAL PERSON (is "Anonymous Coward" who doesn't even ID himself as I do on your birth certificate as your NAME/IDENTITY? NO, it is not) so YOU CAN'T DO SHIT, lol - & I win, you lose!

    * You're TOO STUPID to "F" w/ me dumbshit...

    (I'd get you LAUGHED outta a court of law.. lol, guaranteed!)

    See subject: You're nobody real & nobody in accomplishment either (lol, KING nothing).

    APK

    P.S.=> WHY you HIDE behind UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous coward? You KNOW you're GUILTY of STALKING ME but were we to meet in person? I'd just bust your fucking teeth FLAT out of your PUNY jaw fucker - I've had w/ you STALKING me! apk