Comment on Firefox 149 adds built-in free VPN with 50GB monthly data
blackbeans@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Usable addition, and the fact that it is only in-browser is actually a merit in some cases. Firefox gets a lot of hate but is way more privacy centric out of the box compared to Chrome. AI is only opt-in and you can literally customize the entire browser using about:config. Mozilla also maintains the only real competing web engine (not considering Apple’s locked in ecosystem) and they are the reason browsers are open source these days.
timroerstroem@feddit.dk 3 weeks ago
Not to take anything away from your overall point, which I completely agree with, but this may be a bit of a stretch. All of the “AI” buttons and features are - to my knowledge - on by default. They have made it a lot easier to change that to “off by default now and in the future”, which is very welcome, but “only opt-in” is, again, a bit of a stretch.
KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Well, yes. In so far as they’ve added a new opt in button, and it would be silly to assume every user wants it off now. Instead, users that previously installed get a “turn off AI here” button when the update happens.
I’d say that’s a good trade off.
Nalivai@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
They added dangerous bullshit that nobody wanted with no good ability to turn it off, and then, year or so later, added a switch to turn it off.
Most of the Firefox users don’t want for llm to read web pages for them and group their tabs based on whatever bullshit rules it hallucinated this day. People go to Google and Microslop for this treatment.
KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
I definitely wouldn’t call “local llm features” dangerous.
Alaknar@sopuli.xyz 3 weeks ago
It’s not on by default.
teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
It was on my computer, on, until well after they implemented it, they allowed an opt out.
Alaknar@sopuli.xyz 3 weeks ago
Weird. I was just setting up three Linux laptops and was asked if I wanted to turn these features on every time.
Nalivai@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It absolutely, positively is on by default. Moreover, it’s actually quite hard to completely turn off. Even their new fancy switches are sus, but for the longest time you needed to go to about:config and switch like ten different weirdly named parameters to turn everything off.
Alaknar@sopuli.xyz 3 weeks ago
Weird. I was just setting up three Linux laptops and was asked if I wanted to turn these features on every time.