Starting with Firefox 148, which rolls out on Feb. 24, you’ll find a new AI controls section within the desktop browser settings. It provides a single place to block current and future generative AI features in Firefox.

They actually listened to the community, thats very nice.

  • solrize@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    Pepperidge Farms remembers when Firefox had a control like that to turn JavaScript on and off. The rest of you are supposed to have forgotten. Oops.

    • blaggle42@lemmy.today
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      2 days ago

      I wrote myself a little plugin for firefox.

      It runs nice, and I want to install it permanently. It does something I want.

      Can I? No. Why? Because Firefox… Apparently I’m not adult enough to control my own browser. WTF.

      I have to either get their developer build or become a developer with an account. WTF.

      So I think, I don’t want their developer build, I just want this plugin— I make a mozilla plugin developer account- because apparently that’s how I’m supposed to do it- I try to create the plugin upload —

      Can I? No. Why? Because they want my phone number before I can make a plugin just for myself. WTF.

      So - I ask ChatGPT if there is any work around for this, can it search, I just want to run my own plugin, I don’t want the developer build, I don’t want the developer account, I just want to run my own plugin- ChatGPT says it can’t help me because I’m not adhering to Firefox’s EULA. WTF.

      So I give up on the plugin - and today, I just happen to notice Mozilla silently turned on SYNC for my web history for that fucking Mozilla plugin developer account. So I guess I’m sending them everything I ever do on the web. WTF.

      I go and try to find out what information they’ve stolen from me, can I find it? No. The have some link, to another link, to another link, to another link, which eventually ends up on some page where I can ask them to pretty please send me what information they stole. Why can I not see this without writing a letter! WTF.

      WTF WTF WTF. I hate Mozilla.

      Please let them burn in software hell.

      /rant

      • Glog78@digitalcourage.social
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        2 days ago

        @blaggle42 @solrize
        https://www.w3tutorials.net/blog/firefox-add-ons-how-to-install-my-own-local-add-on-extension-permanently-in-firefox/

        There er multiple ways but yes they don’t make it easy cause the want to make the attack vector aka ( a “friend” sent you a email with the “hottest new” firefox extension ) as small as possible.

        ![Showing a important part of the website link.

        Step 3: Install an Unsigned .xpi (Advanced)

        #Unsigned XPIs require manual placement in your Firefox profile (and may need Firefox Developer Edition/Nightly).
        Enable Unsigned Extensions (If Needed):
        Open Firefox Developer Edition/Nightly.
        Navigate to about:config.
        Search for xpinstall.signatures.required and set it to false (double-click the preference).

        Warning: Disabling signature checks exposes you to security risks. Only install unsigned extensions from trusted sources.](https://digitalcourage.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/004/020/381/199/915/original/6028f10330389bc3.png)

        • blaggle42@lemmy.today
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          2 days ago

          I understand what you are saying - but - if I want to install a program on my computer - I should be allowed to do so - the same with firefox — maybe it might need me doing the equivalent of sudo, entering some password - or just clicking through, “ok, yes I know, extensions can do bad things.”, “yes I really know that I shouldn’t install an extension if I don’t know exactly what it is” 10 times, but — etc…

          I just don’t buy the “attack vector” argument. There are many ways to mitigate, without removing the ability.

          Anyway, in a way this was a good experience - I am going to try to ditch firefox sooner than later now.

          • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works
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            1 day ago

            don’t enable unsigned extensions. It’s there for good reason.

            upload your addon to addons.mozilla.org. there’s an option to not publish, but only upload for signing. then you’ll get back a signed xpi you can install properly.

            • blaggle42@lemmy.today
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              1 day ago

              Doesn’t work. Try to do it without giving them a phone number or installing some other application. You can’t. Or I couldn’t.

              Then, after you can’t and you think, “I’ll go to the forums, see if there is a way.” You’ll find out Mozilla has problems with sign in. I mean come on… But this is irrelevant, this whole flow is dumb. And it presumes that I shouldn’t be able to control my own browser.

              We need a new firefox - just like the original firefox showed that Mozilla was bloat and dumb, we need another that shows the current is bloat and dumb.

              • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works
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                14 hours ago

                Doesn’t work. Try to do it without giving them a phone number or installing some other application. You can’t. Or I couldn’t.

                how did you try? did you try registering a mozilla account?

                You’ll find out Mozilla has problems with sign in.

                It’s probably temporary, it doesn’t have problems usually

                And it presumes that I shouldn’t be able to control my own browser.

                they do it so that malware cant install unvetted addons to your browser. and if someone signs a malware addon this way, and some people report it, mozilla can disable it for everyone.

                We need a new firefox - just like the original firefox showed that Mozilla was bloat and dumb, we need another that shows the current is bloat and dumb.

                what you need is a footgun. you have it in about:config.

          • TheBlackLounge@lemmy.zip
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            1 day ago

            Using dev edition is the equivalent of sudo.

            Firefox can just install an extension from clicking a link, combine that with tech illiterate people just panic-clicking “ok” on every popup, that really is an attack vector.

            I mean, billions of people click yes on a “hey we’re gonna take all your data and sell it to everyone, are you okay with that?” screen multiple times a day…

            • blaggle42@lemmy.today
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              1 day ago

              Again. You are saying you shouldn’t be able to install applications on your computer.

              I mean, if that’s what you believe. I don’t. I think I should be able to decide what I run and where I run it.

              Especially if the company thinks of itself as open source.

              • TheBlackLounge@lemmy.zip
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                9 hours ago

                But you can… I do it, it’s not hard. You’d have learned how and done it in the time you’ve been complaining.

      • solrize@lemmy.ml
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        2 days ago

        No it doesn’t, you want to be able to turn off JS while it is running, and that is now impossible. Noscript stops it from running in the first place and that breaks too many sites.

        • TheBlackLounge@lemmy.zip
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          1 day ago

          You can do it. F12->debugger->cog->uncheck “Show paused overly”, click the pause button. Very very few sites still work well that way. It just doesn’t make sense to have this functionality in a HTML5 world.