How does an ad-powered web browser sound to you? You might think of the idea as old-fashioned or dystopian, but Mozilla is on its way to delivering sponsored content slots to new Firefox users. This move has raised eyebrows across the community, and rightfully so. Mozilla is largely seen as a bastion of user advocacy, so this decision is slightly jarring to some. Even so, with a track record as solid as Mozilla’s, the company deserves the benefit of the doubt until we actually see these ads in practice.
As it stands, new browser tabs display nine tiles populated solely by frequently visited webpages. If you’re a new Firefox user, you’re presented with little more than a pile of blank tiles — useless. To offer a better user experience, Mozilla announced the new Directory Tiles program. It automatically populates these tiles with content from across the web, and dynamically changes the content based on how you browse. Nothing inherently wrong with any of that, right? In fact, it actually sounds useful for new users. However, some of these tiles will indeed be sponsored, and that’s making some people very uncomfortable.
Despite the browser’s flagging popularity, Firefox has consistently been at the forefront of user advocacy. From blocking tracking cookies to developing open Flash alternatives, Mozilla has a history of making decisions with the end user in mind. Hopefully, this move towards more advertising won’t ruin the trust that team has worked so hard to build.
On modern devices, it’s nearly impossible to get away from ads. Both the PS4 and Xbox One feature prominent ad placements, and Chrome is operated by the world’s largest advertising company. Unless Mozilla plans on launching a Wikipedia-inspired panhandling campaign, ads are the most obvious way to generate funding for the project. After all, Mozilla already makes substantial amounts of cash from partnerships with search engines. Even if this is a bit garish, this is Mozilla’s next logical step.
We have yet to see exactly how these sponsored tiles will be implemented, and it’s unclear exactly what level of intrusiveness Mozilla will tolerate in its web browser. As long as the sponsored tiles remain innocuous and clearly labeled, this is a small price to pay for such a progressive and user-focused browser. Mozilla certainly shouldn’t be given a free pass to splatter ads willy nilly, but the visceral reaction of sheer panic from certain members of the community is unwarranted. Let’s trust that Mozilla will make responsible decisions for the time being, and hold off on the panic attack until we see the final quality of the advertisements.
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