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> I feel compelled to point out straight away that this is explicitly opt-in. Now. > The sky is not falling just because they're offering something like this

> I feel compelled to point out straight away that this is explicitly opt-in. Now. > The sky is not falling just because they're offering something like this locked behind two separate opt-in steps. They did the same scam with Pocket. Now, tell me how to disable that again?

drb91 8y ago
> Now, tell me how to disable that again? You can disable it in about:config.
- crankylinuxuser 8y ago
  extensions.pocket.enabled => FALSE is what you're talking about, right? Why the hell is a bloody plugin compiled in with a browser?! I should be able to click "delete" on the plugin screen and purge this trashheap from my system. I shouldn't have to use "hope and prayer" that a plugin isn't used. Instead, I have to go traipsing in about:config. It's not even in preferences, or plugins, or wherever.
  - youseecomrade 8y ago
    You're better off just going the power user way and making your own user.js file https://github.com/pyllyukko/user.js https://github.com/pyllyukko/user.js You can use version control, options persist between restarts if you accidentally change something, you can use comments, easily make new profiles that share the same settings Or you can keep complaining until every piece of software have like 3 options inside a hamburger menu
  - drb91 8y ago
    I happen to agree, but it doesn’t really change much about how I interact with firefox after I disable it. Have you checked out the alternatives? I remember IceWeasel at one point in Debian.
  - icebraining 8y ago
    It's not a plugin, it's a browser feature, like bookmarks and the web inspector.
    - drb91 8y ago
      The line between plugins and features is only useful if it's meaningful. Pocket is, by every appearance, a bookmark service. Why is that integrated into the browser? There's already Firefox Sync. It should be opt-in; I'm in agreement here.
      - GordonS 8y ago
        I really like Pocket and use it all the time, but I still agree that it should be offered as a plugin, rather than built-in to the browser.
      - dralley 8y ago
        Pocket is cross-platform whereas Firefox Sync is not. You can still install Pocket for Chrome, etc.
- callahad 8y ago
  Even better: You can use a Group Policy (Windows) or drop a JSON file in the right place (all platforms) and you're done. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-group-policy https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-usi...
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
RussianCow 8y ago
Pocket doesn't send your browsing history to a third party; it all works locally.
- hnaccy 8y ago
  It is my understanding that Pocket by default phones home with the articles recommended to you as well as your interaction with them on the new tab page. Given that these recommendations are generated using your local browsing history they leak info. Based on your recommended articles they can determine what subset of the daily site set matches with your browsing history. A more focused attack could purposely poison the daily site set with obscure bad site(s); any users that receive these recommendation should have some browsing history intersection with the bad sites.

drb91 8y ago

> Now, tell me how to disable that again? You can disable it in about:config.

crankylinuxuser 8y ago
extensions.pocket.enabled => FALSE is what you're talking about, right? Why the hell is a bloody plugin compiled in with a browser?! I should be able to click "delete" on the plugin screen and purge this trashheap from my system. I shouldn't have to use "hope and prayer" that a plugin isn't used. Instead, I have to go traipsing in about:config. It's not even in preferences, or plugins, or wherever.
- youseecomrade 8y ago
  You're better off just going the power user way and making your own user.js file https://github.com/pyllyukko/user.js https://github.com/pyllyukko/user.js You can use version control, options persist between restarts if you accidentally change something, you can use comments, easily make new profiles that share the same settings Or you can keep complaining until every piece of software have like 3 options inside a hamburger menu
- drb91 8y ago
  I happen to agree, but it doesn’t really change much about how I interact with firefox after I disable it. Have you checked out the alternatives? I remember IceWeasel at one point in Debian.
- icebraining 8y ago
  It's not a plugin, it's a browser feature, like bookmarks and the web inspector.
  - drb91 8y ago
    The line between plugins and features is only useful if it's meaningful. Pocket is, by every appearance, a bookmark service. Why is that integrated into the browser? There's already Firefox Sync. It should be opt-in; I'm in agreement here.
    - GordonS 8y ago
      I really like Pocket and use it all the time, but I still agree that it should be offered as a plugin, rather than built-in to the browser.
    - dralley 8y ago
      Pocket is cross-platform whereas Firefox Sync is not. You can still install Pocket for Chrome, etc.
callahad 8y ago
Even better: You can use a Group Policy (Windows) or drop a JSON file in the right place (all platforms) and you're done. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-group-policy https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-usi...

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

RussianCow 8y ago

Pocket doesn't send your browsing history to a third party; it all works locally.

hnaccy 8y ago
It is my understanding that Pocket by default phones home with the articles recommended to you as well as your interaction with them on the new tab page. Given that these recommendations are generated using your local browsing history they leak info. Based on your recommended articles they can determine what subset of the daily site set matches with your browsing history. A more focused attack could purposely poison the daily site set with obscure bad site(s); any users that receive these recommendation should have some browsing history intersection with the bad sites.