Honestly I’m glad they highlighted the telemetry. I went through the local report about what’s included and while it’s not an upsetting level of detail, it’s more comprehensive than I would have opted in to if asked.
Still, as sibling points out it’s in a completely different league from slurping up your IMAP creds, something which has always been local-only data. This is the second time I know of recently where MS has trampled on this kind of local-only expectation - the other was Edge defaulting to sending the contents of textboxes you’re filling out on webpages to the MS cloud for spelling and grammar checks. Thunderbird is still a sound recommendation, and unlike Microsoft, I trust that if I uncheck the telemetry box they’re not going to try to get me some other way.
chaospatterns@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s true that Mozilla does collect telemetry and that Mozilla Corp is for profit, however Mozilla Corp is owned by Mozilla Foundation. That ownership structure is either a way to get around limitations on non profits, or its an opportunity for the Foundation to directly influence the Corp to be better.
However, I’ll still use Firefox/Thunderbird because: Usage stats such as number of accounts or filters is in no way comparable to my username and password. One is basic metadata and stats, the other is a massive risk. You can opt out of the telemetry, the only way to opt out of sharing your password is to not use the new Outlook.
I take a more pragmatic approach to privacy based on my trust. I understand the value of telemetry, but change it depending on the company. Big Tech I have less trust in, Mozilla, while they have issues, are on average far better for privacy vs big tech.
As a developer, I understand the value of telemetry and the risks that come with collecting any data. I pick Firefox because it challenges the homogeney of Google’s influence and it looks like I’m going to pick Thunderbird because I’ haven’t seen a better option.
elias_griffin@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Whoa, 9 upvotes instantly, then a block of 11 downvotes, then another block of 8 downvotes, and then a challenger reply, very interesting! Refute this guy he says! It’s hard when someone challenges long held viewpoints, I get that. I live and breath security for decades now, there is nothing to refute, I left those parts out.
I’m choosing to repond here because this is a typical Big-Tech marketing speak viewpoint, that somehow Mozilla is to be trusted, that Mozilla isn’t Big Tech. Well, it obviously is Big Tech to the tune of almost a Billion, what! The way they hide that massive Mozilla Corp money behind a non-profit, sketchy!
Right there you should not trust them
Even though you can opt-out of the Telemetry, which can be useful if done correctly, the majority of the most valuable data about your digital life is already collected when you set it up. Opting out only disables further collection.
Mozilla is a significant part of increasing Google’s hegemony if you read the article, you have it backwards! The Internet Data search et al. valuation is vastly superior [value] to browser valuation or market share to which Firefox is only something like 7%.
Lastly going with Thunderbird because it’s the least bad is a terrible choice to have to make, isn’t it? Do I have that wrong? Even if you are on Windows, you can determine to not play the least-bad game of Big-Tech selling the least amount of details about your life and just run your email somewhere else, even in a VM.
I’m here for people power and not Mega-Corp power. I’m writing this at the keyboard right now willing to get flack and downvotes, for you. I gave you the viable option, Claws-Mail.
Some may say yeah, but BSD/Linux Claws-Mail is not a shiny UX experience and those shinies are worth sale of my digital identity/me. How Gollum of you!
Yeah, I said it Lemmy, I said it! Don’t sell yourself for free because it’s easier or “more intuitive” or “works better”!
legoshark@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I appreciate your informative post. I almost down voted it for the statement that Mozilla is big tech, but you do have a valid point that they are on Google’s leash. I wish it weren’t that way and that they were self-sustaining, but it is what it is. In my mind, they are better than the big tech companies because of their non-profit ownership, but non-profits can be corrupted. I’m still going to continue using Firefox though since the web desperately needs browser competition and it’s the only competition in town =)