Mozilla Faced With Privacy Complaints Regarding Firefox User Tracking

Firefox browsers track user behavior on websites without user consent. (photo: x @FirefoxSupport)

JAKARTA The Vienna-based advocacy group, NOYB (None Of Your Business), on Wednesday, September 25 filed a complaint with Austrian data protection authorities against Mozilla. They accuse browser maker Firefox of tracking user behavior on websites without their consent.

NOYB, founded by privacy activist Max Schrems, claims that Mozilla is activating a feature called privacy predicting attribute (PPA), which makes the browser a tracking tool for websites without notifying its users directly.

According to NOYB, although the PPA feature is more invasive than unbounded tracking, it still violates user rights under EU privacy laws, especially as it is enabled by default without explicit user consent.

"It's a shame that organizations like Mozilla think users are too stupid to say 'yes' or 'no'," said Felix Mikolasch, a data protection lawyer at NOYB. Users should be able to make choices, and this feature should be disabled by default.

In response, a Mozilla spokesperson said that "PPA limited trials are part of our efforts to improve invasive advertising practices by providing technical alternatives." They added that this technique prevents any party, including Mozilla, from identifying their individuals or browsing activities.

The Firefox browser, which used to be popular because of its privacy features, is now far behind leading browsers such as Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge, with a market share of only one digit.

NOYB wants Mozilla to notify users of its data processing activity, switch to an opt-in system, and remove all illegally processed data from the millions of affected users.

The NOYB group previously also filed a complaint against Alphabet, Google's parent company, over alleged tracking of Chrome browser users, and has filed hundreds of complaints against major tech companies, some of which lead to large fines.