No, but they advertise that "Firefox automatically protects your privacy while you browse".

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-prote...

It's possible that they are tracking how many times an installer gets used without violating your privacy. Installers can be shared online or you can install it on someone else's computer. It's not like they are specific to a person.

True but why? There just be a really heavy reason to introduce something like this. I don't see it.

technically they did not lie. “While you browse” is clearly excluding the time whilst installing the browser.

They promote their product by claiming that it protects people's privacy. They do something that can be reasonably interpreted as tracking (which it is, whether it is download/installation tracking as they claim, or user tracking as some people claim).

For the most part, privacy is based upon trust. Trust is earned. You don't earn trust by doing things behind people's backs or claiming that they are technically telling the truth.

Taken straight out of the "terms and conditions apply" fine print playbook :)

They never advertised either they were tracking every download...

They have whole campaigns against Facebook railing against intrusions into privacy.