Firefox clarifies data licensing rights over user input

Firefox updated its Terms of Service to clarify the licensing rights it receives from users. Building on previous language that granted Mozilla, Firefox’s parent company, a “nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use user input for the purpose of doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox,” the new version specifies that this data will be used specifically “for the purpose of doing as you request with the content you input in Firefox,” and that “this does not give Mozilla any ownership in that content.”

This update follows backlash related to the previous update, whose lack of clarity on data ownership led users to question Mozilla’s intentions to use their data. It also comes amid growing debate on how user data is handled, particularly in relation to training generative AI models. Although rights holders and groups like the Dataset Providers Alliance advocate for greater control and transparency (Wired), current practices often rely on broader licensing terms that could allow for secondary uses. In this evolving landscape, where developers and regulators grapple with technical standards for data consent and attribution (Variety), this backlash is an example of user demand for greater transparency about how personal data is used beyond the immediate operation of services.