This is even more confusing. I understand that the browser needs to know my primary language and will send that as part of the HTTP requests (e.g. as part of the Accept-Language header) in order to operate ("To provide you with the Firefox browser"). I don't know why Mozilla needs a license for this.
They are not clear where/how the data is being used. For example, why are "Unique identifiers" and "Interaction data" part of "To provide you with the Firefox browser"?
From "Interaction data": "This is data about how you engage with our services, such as how many tabs you have open or what you’ve clicked on." -- Why is it necessary to track how many tabs I have open in order to provide the browser to me? -- That isn't something they need to send via HTTP to make websites function. If it is for telemetry and improving the browser, that should be a separate section.
> You give Mozilla the rights necessary to operate Firefox. This includes processing your data as we describe in the Firefox Privacy Notice. It also includes a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license *for the purpose of doing as you request* with the content you input in Firefox. This does not give Mozilla any ownership in that content.
They are saying that you give a license to Firefox to do as you request. That's all. The language is explicit and explain the relationship between you and the product when you use it. The product behaves as your agent, and would need permissions to do so. Every browser implies this, Firefox just was explicit with it.
It still doesn't make sense unless that info is going via mozilla's servers. Software running on your PC doesn't need permission to process and send data that you are giving it, to send it to the places you intend.
Mozilla legal apparently think otherwise. They have been spooked by the recent California legal movements which can apply the label "sell" to behaviours we wouldn't normally consider selling user data, like setting the default search engine.
Where has Mozilla legal clarified that in its entirety? They could limit the data to that very need inside the ToS if that is how they felt and wanted to be transparent.
I'm looking at the https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox/#lawful-bases section of the new privacy document which goes into more detail on what is collected and why, along with the "Types of Data Defined" section above it that describes the different data.
It doesn't differentiate when that data is stored locally, when it is sent to (and collected by) Mozilla, and when it is sent/accessed by the website you are on/using.
Likewise, because "Interaction data" covers both "how many tabs you have open" and "what you’ve clicked on" (as well as ad related information in the next paragraph) it can cover things like handling anchor ping attributes (what you've clicked on) which are nec1essary for Firefox to work w.r.t. that feature vs. collecting ad related information ("Click counts, impression data, attribution data, how many searches performed, time on page, ad and sponsored tile clicks.") which is not.
With those broad information categories they are combining different use cases from using the browser, telemetry, and collecting data useful for advertising.
Another example: in the "To adapt Firefox to your needs" section they explicitly call out sending location data to websites like Google Maps but the data collected is listed is "Any data type" not "Location".
I know there are other cases, but the specific wording is vague and unclear. For example that section mentions being able to "clear your browsing history". As a developer I can infer that that is related to JavaScript APIs being able to access your browsing history, but that isn't called out in this section so it is unclear that this is what they are referring to.
They use that telemetry to understand how users in aggregate use the product so they can prioritize maintenance and improvements. Like any other software.
Anyway, you can disable that telemetry in the prefs UI with a single click.
They are not clear where/how the data is being used. For example, why are "Unique identifiers" and "Interaction data" part of "To provide you with the Firefox browser"?
From "Interaction data": "This is data about how you engage with our services, such as how many tabs you have open or what you’ve clicked on." -- Why is it necessary to track how many tabs I have open in order to provide the browser to me? -- That isn't something they need to send via HTTP to make websites function. If it is for telemetry and improving the browser, that should be a separate section.