Something that hasn't been made clear: Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features.
We've been calling it the AI kill switch internally. I'm sure it'll ship with a less murderous name, but that's how seriously and absolutely we're taking this.
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Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •All AI features will also be opt-in. I think there are some grey areas in what 'opt-in' means to different people (e.g. is a new toolbar button opt-in?), but the kill switch will absolutely remove all that stuff, and never show it in future. That's unambiguous.
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Norgg
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Norgg • • •Jonathan Kamens 86 47
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •It is 100% clear to anyone not trying to run cover for #Mozilla that multiple #GenAI features have already been introduced into #Firefox as opt-out rather than opt-in. This isn't questionable or debatable or complicated, it's simple fact.
You've given us no reason to believe this is going to change.
Trying to obfuscate this away in this thread makes it clear you're being disingenuous, whether or not you realize you are.
Jonathan Kamens 86 47
in reply to Jonathan Kamens 86 47 • • •It's not that we want it to be opt-in, we want it to not be there at all, because #GenAI is bad for tech and bad for the people whose content is stolen and bad for culture and bad for the whole fucking world, and we want #Mozilla to take a stand for what is RIGHT, not jump on the catastrophically bad AI hype train and join every other company in the bubble.
Doing AI at all, opt-in or not, is doing the wrong thing.
#Firefox
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •I'm not asking for faith in our direction - the thing I love about the Firefox community is how open, honest, and technical it is.
But I do ask that you don't have the opposite of faith. Like, try not to be determined that we're going to do the wrong thing here.
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Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •I hope we can (re)gain your trust here.
I don't personally work on this stuff, but I'll try hard to answer any questions you have.
And other than that, I'll get back in my lane, and stick to web platform stuff.
- Jake (@jaffathecake)
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •rachael laura yay ~
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Luna Lactea
in reply to rachael laura yay ~ • • •Seachaint
in reply to rachael laura yay ~ • • •@rachaelspooky Also, that whole bit where the new CEO kited blocking adblocks? Lost me forever. Critical moral failure. You try to fuck with my overton window I throw you out it.
If we want a real humane browser it needs to be 1) Nonprofit, actually this time, no Google buyouts and 2) Flat out reject inhumane tech (DRM, AI, whatever the next shitty thing is), 3) stop hand-wringing about "market share". It's not a market. It's a medium for humans.
Petra van Cronenburg
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •It's not only about trust. It's also the question how Firefox wants to be part of destroying our climate and water ressources in a time of #climateEmergency and growing #desertification thanks to #datacenters needed by the #AIHype!
Software that contributes to this destruction, even though it could work without it, is not an option for me. If it forces me to use such functions, I consider it even criminal. Firefox/the CEO wants AI.
#climateAction
@jaffathecake
M.S. Bellows, Jr.
in reply to Petra van Cronenburg • • •Sashin
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •@jaffathecake I'm sure someone has asked this already.
Please point me to your answer if that's the case.
But why put AI features in the browser in the first place? Clearly no one wants them.
What pressures are you facing that make you want to put AI in despite the overwhelming negative pushback?
Who wants this?
Why can't you just not?
There's a saying that opt-in means compulsory later.
Josh “Yoshi” Vickerson
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •@jaffathecake it’s hard to believe the “kill switch” will actually do what it says. We’ve been told time and time again “AI” will be “opt-in” just to have the features repeatedly turned back on after users have disabled them.
Why is this *any* different?
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Josh “Yoshi” Vickerson • • •David Gerard
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •@josh @jaffathecake I have had browser.ml.* settings I disabled by hand in about:config re-enable repeatedly with new versions. I posted about it on bsky and a pile of other people chimed in saying the same had happened to them too.
Do not try to pretend you don't know this was happening.
the elder sea
in reply to David Gerard • • •@davidgerard @josh @jaffathecake
I just checked on this PC and had to disable them *again.*
David Gerard
in reply to the elder sea • • •ToddZ Ⓥ
in reply to David Gerard • • •@davidgerard @eldersea @josh @jaffathecake
I don't know what everybody's upset about. All AI features are opt-in only. You have to deliberately opt-in by failing to repeatedly disable several cryptic default settings hidden behind an obscure configuration URL.
Everyday Cyborg
in reply to ToddZ Ⓥ • • •MarinaAbramovic'sInvisible Man
in reply to David Gerard • • •@davidgerard @josh @jaffathecake
⏫ Firefox was all sorts of happy to answer questions until this one came up and they've been silent for 24 hours
🤔
Anthony
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •All of the ones listed in this post, for a start: buc.ci/abucci/p/1763845084.289…
Since writing that I've found more. It's like mold growing in the basement.
A few versions ago Firefox had maybe 5 (?) such ML-related features. Since then, the number of configuration options has exploded. Many (most?) of these features are ON (set to true) by default. Worse still, the "namespaces" are not just
browser.ml. There'sbrowser.aiwindow,browser.tabs.groups.smart,extensions.ml, andsidebar.notification.badge.aichat.How do you intend to earn trust against this backdrop? I fully expect that every time I update Firefox I'm going to have to scour through
about:configto find the 2, 5, 10, ??? new AI-related options and double check that they are off. You haven't given anyone a reason to believe that the "master kill switch" you keep referring to is going to cover every single one of these settings sprawled across so many different places. At this point in time the only thing I trust is that Mozilla will keep pushing AI into Firefox and that I will have no choice but to put in a lot of work to keep it turned off--or give up using Firefox altogether.Incidentally, and speaking of trust and consent, will the proposed "kill switch" be turned off by default? You talk of "opt-in" as if it is confusing, but it is not: this switch should be OFF unless a user wants it on.
@josh@vickerson.me @jaffathecake@mastodon.social
Anthony
2025-11-22 20:58:04
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Anthony • • •Anthony
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •The user experience sucks because I don't want AI anywhere near my computer, and I don't want to have to put in work on my web browser to ensure this. By adding these features you've introduced more friction in the form of a configuration tax each and every time I update the browser.
@josh@vickerson.me @jaffathecake
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Anthony • • •Anthony
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Is it always off by default? Are all of the configuration options it covers off by default and stay off even if I turn the kill switch back to on?
Are all the options listed here controlled by the kill switch? buc.ci/abucci/p/1763845084.289…
@josh@vickerson.me @jaffathecake@mastodon.social
Anthony
2025-11-22 20:58:04
Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Anthony • • •2005800 - Add Disable AI section to gen ai settings
bugzilla.mozilla.orgAnthony
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •You haven't answered my questions. You've not given me any assurance that people who can answer my questions will get back to me. You've also given me a homework assignment.
You are doing the opposite of building trust with such a response. I just got done telling you the browser is creating work for me, and that I objected to this. Following that by giving me work to do is an irritating move--you see that don't you?
@josh@vickerson.me @jaffathecake
nycki
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Cogito ergo mecagoendios
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •The problem is that no matter how many toggles you put, or if I trusted that you will not try to turn them back on in a future update (which I don't), the fact is that there is a bubble based on unrealizable promises which will do significant real harm, and you are endorsing its expansion.
We want a foundation that goes out publicly with research facts AGAINST wasteful, useless AI asbestos. You ask us to toggle our eyes off while seeing you endorse leopards eating peoples faces.
stony kark
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •DJ Toebeans
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Fritz Adalis
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Fritz Adalis • • •@FritzAdalis I didn't mean to pretend anything. I tried to be honest and clear that what counts as 'opt-in' means different things to different people.
For example, if an AI button (that did nothing until it was clicked) appeared next to the location bar, would you consider it opt-in. This is just a made-up example btw.
Fritz Adalis
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •I don't think the definition of opt-in is anywhere near that ambiguous. Do you think the Edge Copilot button 'did nothing until pressed'? Sure, you add the button. Then it's too slow to open so you cache things first. Then on first open it's not relevant, so you train from the start. All along advertisers want the data. (You'll recall that you removed "we won't sell your data, ever" from your web site.)
Right now to disable features like ai and ads and coupons I have to go into about:config. If you're confident users want those features, why not make them disabled by default and make users open about:config to enable?
(And let's face it, Mozilla has a frequent habit of turning disabled features back on during even minor updates.)
You could make all of this an add-in that has to be installed, like you should have done from the beginning. Including unwanted, unrelated features is the force-feeding that users hate and nobody important at Mozilla seems to understand that.
Samat Sattarov
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to Samat Sattarov • • •[object Object]
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •@SamatSattarov so your definition of opt-in includes enabling a bunch of browser.ml about:config settings after updates, including all the ones I’ve already disabled, just in case I change my mind and want my browser to be full of absolute horseshit?
that’s fucking worthless and I’d tell you to feel ashamed that this dark pattern crap is what you think constitutes consent, but let’s be real: you’re a PR mouthpiece for an AI corporation and are incapable of shame.
[object Object]
in reply to [object Object] • • •@SamatSattarov and while we’re here
I know it’s very popular among PR fuckfaces to claim that your justifiably angry users are confused as a way to control the discussion.
none of us are confused. all of us know a dark pattern when we see it. plenty of us have had to implement them for our dickhead employers. none of us want our consent violated by a browser we’ve previously done advocacy for. no, you don’t get to dictate what a consent violation looks like for your users.
[object Object]
in reply to [object Object] • • •nycki
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •💙🩷💜Ⓑⓡⓔⓣⓣ🐡🍉🐧
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •Firefox for Web Developers
in reply to 💙🩷💜Ⓑⓡⓔⓣⓣ🐡🍉🐧 • • •@brettm I explicitly _didn't_ ask for faith mastodon.social/@firefoxwebdev…
Firefox for Web Developers
2025-12-18 12:11:37
💙🩷💜Ⓑⓡⓔⓣⓣ🐡🍉🐧
in reply to Firefox for Web Developers • • •I am explicitly saying I have the opposite of faith! As the AI is _already enabled_ and there is no "kill switch"
We do however have the Mozilla favourite, 457 obscure and misleadingly-worded options that may or may not disable AI, hidden amongst the 20,000,000 about:config options 🙂