Mozilla keeps trying to make using Firefox safer than ever, the organization has updated its plugin strategy, so any update that includes hidden code is explicitly forbidden.
The database recalls that add-ons extend the basic features of Firefox, allowing users to edit and personalize their web experience. A healthy, trust-based ecosystem is essential for developers to be successful and for users to feel safe taking ownership of Firefox.
These are the Guidelines that Mozilla has established
These policies are not intended to serve as legal noticess, nor as a complete list of terms that will be included in the privacy policy of your plugin.
All plugins are subject to these rules, regardless of how they are distributed.
Mozilla may reject or disable plugins that do not comply with these policies. Therefore, follow these rules when making design and supplemental development decisions.
For these reasons, Mozilla requires that all plugins adhere to the following rules on acceptable practices.
No surprises
While Mozilla acknowledges that the surprises may be appropriate in many situations, the foundation emphasizes that they are not welcome when user security, privacy and control are at stake.
According to this, it is extremely important and as transparent as possible when submitting a plugin. Users should be able to easily discern the features of their plugin and not face unexpected user experiences after installing it.
Unexpected features
As the name implies, unexpected characteristics are those that are not related to the main function plugin and that a user is likely not expecting them from the plugin name or description.
If an extension must include an unexpected feature that falls into one of the following categories:
- Possibly compromises the privacy or security of the user (such as sending data to third parties)
- Change the default settings, such as the new tab, the home page, or the search engine.
- Make unexpected changes to the browser or web content.
- It includes features not related to the main features of the plugin.
- Then the "unexpected" characteristics must meet all of the following conditions:
- The plugin description should clearly state the changes made by the plugin.
All changes must be "accepted", which means that the user must take a non-default action to apply the changes.
Changes Inviting users through the permission system do not require additional registration.
The content add-ons using trademarks Mozilla must comply with Mozilla's Trademark Policy.
If the plug-in uses "Firefox" in its name, the naming standard that the plug-in must follow is " for Firefox ».
In addition, the plugins listed at addons.mozilla.org (MASTER) must comply with the following rules:
- All plugins listed on AMO are subject to Mozilla's Terms of Service.
- Plugins must indicate when a payment is required to activate a feature.
- All plug-ins or plug-in content hosted on Mozilla's site (s) must comply with US laws.
- The plugin list should have an easy-to-read description of everything it does and all the information it collects.
- Plugins for internal or private use are only accessible to a closed group of users and are not listed in AMO. These add-ons must be downloaded for automatic distribution.
- If the plug-in is a branch of another plug-in, the name must clearly distinguish it from the original and provide a significant difference in functionality and / or code.
Security overrides the choice
Mozilla has also made clear its process of blocking extensions. Although not surprising here, the clarification should mean that there is less cause for litigation when an extension is blocked.
The updated supplemental policy will go into effect on June 10. Plugin developers have just over a month to take notice and comply with the changes.
Source: https://developer.mozilla.org
Yes, if the policies were to be implemented, they came into effect on July 10, they already blocked all advertising blockers, and that affects the freedom to consume what one wants, to migrate to another browser that blocks invasive advertising, or to wait for the blockers to activate.
Honestly, I prefer to navigate with advertising than with applications that are not open and clean source, since these may be collecting your data or go to know what and on top of it, reducing the performance of the browser.
The initiative of the firefox team seems great to me since the extensions with obfuscated code can have malicious code and be spyware and at the browser level in linux this is very screwed since we are NOT used to dealing with antivirus or other niceties of this type and not because using linux we are no longer victims of malicious applications or extensions that can even take over critical data such as passwords or credit card numbers. It is also sad that a good job by the firefox team can be marred by extensions of dubious code. In the past, I already had some problems observing automatic activity of sending data from my browsing history without my consent, and also redirecting to pages that I had not invoked or in google searches leaving me sponsored links that had nothing to do with it. with what I was looking for.