Now, do we trust Mozilla more than Google? Of course we do. (Firefox already sends those keystrokes to your default search engine, typically Google.) And as How-To Geek points out, because Firefox, like all modern browsers, uses the address bar for searches and site address typing, Mozilla technically has access to anything you type there. The second impact of Firefox Suggest is that the web browser will now collect your keystrokes and send them back to Mozilla, another Microsoft-like bit of functionality that’s aimed at making your searches better by providing search suggestions. To do so, open the Firefox menu and navigate to Settings > Preferences > Privacy & Security > Address Bar – Firefox Suggest” and locate two commands, “Contextual suggestions” and “Include occasional sponsored suggestions.” Then, turn both of them off. What? That sounds an awful lot like something Microsoft or Google might do, though the browser maker points out that “no new types of data are collected, stored, or shared to make these new recommendations.” Basically, Mozilla is going to display ads in the Firefox address bar.

According to Mozilla, Firefox Suggest “serves as a trustworthy guide to the better web, finding relevant information and sites to help you accomplish your goals.” That sounds wonderful, but it’s enabled by default and Mozilla also notes that “you will also receive new, relevant suggestions from our trusted partners based on what you’re searching for.” But lost amid all that good news are two troubling updates that the organization quietly made to Firefox as well.īoth updates are part of a new feature called Firefox Suggest that’s currently only available in the United States. This week, Mozilla released Firefox 93 and revealed that its flagship browser would come to the Microsoft Store in Windows 10 and 11 by the end of the year. Long the darling of the open-source crowd, Mozilla’s Firefox web browser has received some questionable updates in recent days.

Mozilla firefox search page