Peace of mind browser add-ons for Firefox

The web can be as wonderful as it is overwhelming. Fortunately there are ways you can customize Firefox with add-ons to achieve a more harmonious browsing experience. Here are a few examples—from soothing visual enhancements to great tools for mental clarity and peace of mind. Firefox themes Perhaps the easiest way to bring good vibes wherever you go online is to simply install an inspiring new theme on Firefox. From nature imagery to art to cute puppies, there are hundreds of thousands of beautiful visuals to choose from. Here’s a short...[More]

Peace of mind browser add-ons for Firefox

The web can be as wonderful as it is overwhelming. Fortunately there are ways you can customize Firefox with add-ons to achieve a more harmonious browsing experience. Here are a few examples—from soothing visual enhancements to great tools for mental clarity and peace of mind. Firefox themes Perhaps the easiest way to bring good vibes wherever you go online is to simply install an inspiring new theme on Firefox. From nature imagery to art to cute puppies, there are hundreds of thousands of beautiful visuals to choose from. Here’s a short...[More]

Detroit’s digital divide reminds us how far America has to go for internet equity

The need for equitable broadband internet access has been a problem since the term “digital divide” was first coined in the mid-1990s, but these conversations are getting renewed attention as a result of COVID-19 forcing lives online more rapidly in 2020 than ever before. At Mozilla, we are committed to building an internet that includes all people and believes that someone’s demographics should not determine their access, opportunities, or quality of experience. Here we explore the digital divide in one of the United State’s most impac...[More]

Detroit’s digital divide reminds us how far America has to go for internet equity

The need for equitable broadband internet access has been a problem since the term “digital divide” was first coined in the mid-1990s, but these conversations are getting renewed attention as a result of COVID-19 forcing lives online more rapidly in 2020 than ever before. At Mozilla, we are committed to building an internet that includes all people and believes that someone’s demographics should not determine their access, opportunities, or quality of experience. Here we explore the digital divide in one of the United State’s most impac...[More]

What are deceptive design patterns?

Deceptive design patterns are tricks used by websites and apps to get you to do things you might not otherwise do, like buy things, sign up for services or switch your settings. Another phrase used to describe deceptive design patterns is dark patterns*, which was originally coined in 2010 by user experience specialist Harry Brignall, drawing attention to this practice and building momentum around calling it out. Brignall regularly tweets some of the worst examples of deceptive designs online and hands out kudos for honest user experiences. ...[More]

What are deceptive design patterns?

Deceptive design patterns are tricks used by websites and apps to get you to do things you might not otherwise do, like buy things, sign up for services or switch your settings. Another phrase used to describe deceptive design patterns is dark patterns*, which was originally coined in 2010 by user experience specialist Harry Brignall, drawing attention to this practice and building momentum around calling it out. Brignall regularly tweets some of the worst examples of deceptive designs online and hands out kudos for honest user experiences. ...[More]

Data Detox video: Smart phones

Are you on your phone right now? It’s ok, most of us are. The endless stream of information can be overwhelming, but here are a few simple tips on how you can take control of your phone and its privacy features to get the most out of your device. More tips Four things you can do today to protect your computer The post Data Detox video: Smart phones appeared first on The Mozilla Blog. Re Posted From: Data Detox video: Smart phonesThe Mozilla Blog...[More]

Data Detox video: Smart phones

Are you on your phone right now? It’s ok, most of us are. The endless stream of information can be overwhelming, but here are a few simple tips on how you can take control of your phone and its privacy features to get the most out of your device. More tips Four things you can do today to protect your computer The post Data Detox video: Smart phones appeared first on The Mozilla Blog. Re Posted From: Data Detox video: Smart phonesThe Mozilla Blog...[More]

Growing the Bytecode Alliance

Today, Mozilla joins Fastly, Intel, and Microsoft in announcing the incorporation and expansion of the Bytecode Alliance, a cross-industry partnership to advance a vision for fast, secure, and simplified software development based on WebAssembly. Building software today means grappling with a set of vexing trade-offs. If you want to build something big, it’s not realistic to build each component from scratch. But relying on a complex supply chain of components from other parties allows a defect anywhere in that chain to compromise the securit...[More]

Growing the Bytecode Alliance

Today, Mozilla joins Fastly, Intel, and Microsoft in announcing the incorporation and expansion of the Bytecode Alliance, a cross-industry partnership to advance a vision for fast, secure, and simplified software development based on WebAssembly. Building software today means grappling with a set of vexing trade-offs. If you want to build something big, it’s not realistic to build each component from scratch. But relying on a complex supply chain of components from other parties allows a defect anywhere in that chain to compromise the securit...[More]

Notes on Implementing Vaccine Passports

Now that we’re starting to get widespread COVID vaccination “vaccine passports” have started to become more relevant. The idea behind a vaccine passport is that you would have some kind of credential that you could use to prove that you had been vaccinated against COVID; various entities (airlines, clubs, employers, etc.) might require such a passport as proof of vaccination. Right now deployment of this kind of mechanism is fairly limited: Israel has one called the green pass and the State of New York is using something called the Excels...[More]

Notes on Implementing Vaccine Passports

Now that we’re starting to get widespread COVID vaccination “vaccine passports” have started to become more relevant. The idea behind a vaccine passport is that you would have some kind of credential that you could use to prove that you had been vaccinated against COVID; various entities (airlines, clubs, employers, etc.) might require such a passport as proof of vaccination. Right now deployment of this kind of mechanism is fairly limited: Israel has one called the green pass and the State of New York is using something called the Excels...[More]

Wearing more (Mozilla) hats

Mark Surman For many years now — and well before I sought out the job I have today — I thought: the world needs more organizations like Mozilla. Given the state of the internet, it needs them now. And, it will likely need them for a very long time to come. Why? In part because the internet was founded with public benefit in mind. And, as the Mozilla Manifesto declared back in 2007, “… (m)agnifying the public benefit aspects of the internet is an important goal, worthy of time, attention and commitment.” Today, this sort of ‘time a...[More]

Wearing more (Mozilla) hats

Mark Surman For many years now — and well before I sought out the job I have today — I thought: the world needs more organizations like Mozilla. Given the state of the internet, it needs them now. And, it will likely need them for a very long time to come. Why? In part because the internet was founded with public benefit in mind. And, as the Mozilla Manifesto declared back in 2007, “… (m)agnifying the public benefit aspects of the internet is an important goal, worthy of time, attention and commitment.” Today, this sort of ‘time a...[More]

Mark Surman joins the Mozilla Foundation Board of Directors

In early 2020, I outlined our efforts to expand Mozilla’s boards. Over the past year, we’ve added three new external Mozilla board members: Navrina Singh and Wambui Kinya to the Mozilla Foundation board and Laura Chambers to the Mozilla Corporation board. Today, I’m excited to welcome Mark Surman, Executive Director of the Mozilla Foundation, to the Foundation board. As I said to staff prior to his appointment, when I think about who should hold the keys to Mozilla, Mark is high on that list. Mark has unique qualifications in terms of t...[More]

Mark Surman joins the Mozilla Foundation Board of Directors

In early 2020, I outlined our efforts to expand Mozilla’s boards. Over the past year, we’ve added three new external Mozilla board members: Navrina Singh and Wambui Kinya to the Mozilla Foundation board and Laura Chambers to the Mozilla Corporation board. Today, I’m excited to welcome Mark Surman, Executive Director of the Mozilla Foundation, to the Foundation board. As I said to staff prior to his appointment, when I think about who should hold the keys to Mozilla, Mark is high on that list. Mark has unique qualifications in terms of t...[More]

Mozilla partners with NVIDIA to democratize and diversify voice technology

As technology makes massive shift to voice-enabled products, NVIDIA invests $1.5 million in Mozilla Common Voice to transform the voice recognition landscape  Over the next decade, speech is expected to become the primary way people interact with devices — from laptops and phones to digital assistants and retail kiosks. Today’s voice-enabled devices, however, are inaccessible to much of humanity because they cannot understand vast swaths of the world’s languages, accents, and speech patterns. To help ensure that people everywhere benefit...[More]

Mozilla partners with NVIDIA to democratize and diversify voice technology

As technology makes massive shift to voice-enabled products, NVIDIA invests $1.5 million in Mozilla Common Voice to transform the voice recognition landscape  Over the next decade, speech is expected to become the primary way people interact with devices — from laptops and phones to digital assistants and retail kiosks. Today’s voice-enabled devices, however, are inaccessible to much of humanity because they cannot understand vast swaths of the world’s languages, accents, and speech patterns. To help ensure that people everywhere benefit...[More]

Reflections on One Year as the CEO of Mozilla

If we want the internet to be different we can’t keep following the same roadmap. I am celebrating a one-year anniversary at Mozilla this week, which is funny in a way, since I have been part of Mozilla since before it had a name. Mozilla is in my DNA�and some of my DNA is in Mozilla. Twenty-two years ago I wrote the open-source software licenses that still enable our vision, and throughout my years here I’ve worn many hats. But one year ago I became CEO for the second time, and I have to say up front that being CEO this time around is th...[More]

Reflections on One Year as the CEO of Mozilla

If we want the internet to be different we can’t keep following the same roadmap. I am celebrating a one-year anniversary at Mozilla this week, which is funny in a way, since I have been part of Mozilla since before it had a name. Mozilla is in my DNA�and some of my DNA is in Mozilla. Twenty-two years ago I wrote the open-source software licenses that still enable our vision, and throughout my years here I’ve worn many hats. But one year ago I became CEO for the second time, and I have to say up front that being CEO this time around is th...[More]