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The important bit: "[...] we want people to clearly understand that Laserlike will receive their web browsing history before installing the experiment. We have

by mgbmtl 8y ago

The important bit: "[...] we want people to clearly understand that Laserlike will receive their web browsing history before installing the experiment. We have also included controls so that participants can pause the experiment, see what browser history Laserlike has about them, or request deletion of that information." So, this is basically a better Stumble Upon, where you can delete the data they have on you. How are they monetizing the service? There is a complaint on the Apple App store that while you can delete your history, you may not be able to delete your account: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/laserlike-search-discover/id1246441938?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/laserlike-search-discover/id...

autoexec 8y ago
I never trust that I can delete my collected data from anyone. At the point you hit the delete button your data has likely already been spread around to backups (including offline/offsite), been aggregated with other's data, shared with "partners" and sold to other companies and data brokers. The idea that a "delete" button can somehow undo all of that and keep your data out of others hands is absurd.
- russdpale 8y ago
  Exactly. And there is nothing that verifies anythong gets deleted anyways. It could always just tell you it deleted it while never deleting anything.
Vinnl 8y ago
> How are they monetizing the service? How are they monetising Firefox bookmarks? How are they monetising the awesomebar? Which is to say: Mozilla doesn't necessarily add features to monetise them. (Although indirectly, most of their money does come through Firefox - and also their influence, in terms of being able to fulfil their mission. The motivation hence is most likely to be that they simply want more people to use Firefox. Another motivation might be that they want less people to be dependent on e.g. Facebook for the discovery of websites.)

by mgbmtl 8y ago

autoexec 8y ago

I never trust that I can delete my collected data from anyone. At the point you hit the delete button your data has likely already been spread around to backups (including offline/offsite), been aggregated with other's data, shared with "partners" and sold to other companies and data brokers. The idea that a "delete" button can somehow undo all of that and keep your data out of others hands is absurd.

russdpale 8y ago
Exactly. And there is nothing that verifies anythong gets deleted anyways. It could always just tell you it deleted it while never deleting anything.

Vinnl 8y ago

> How are they monetizing the service? How are they monetising Firefox bookmarks? How are they monetising the awesomebar? Which is to say: Mozilla doesn't necessarily add features to monetise them. (Although indirectly, most of their money does come through Firefox - and also their influence, in terms of being able to fulfil their mission. The motivation hence is most likely to be that they simply want more people to use Firefox. Another motivation might be that they want less people to be dependent on e.g. Facebook for the discovery of websites.)