Firefox maintains its commitment to privacy 20 years after its launch

Nov. 11 (Portaltic/EP) –

Mozilla has commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the first version of the Firefox browserwhich currently maintains its focus on offering an experience based on privacy and seeks to convince the youngest Internet users with it, while introducing generative artificial intelligence into its service.

Firefox appeared November 9, 2004 with the promise to offer “a more robust, user-friendly and reliable web experience”, after providing a preliminary version that was downloaded by more than 8 million people.

The open source proposal was released for Windows MacOS and Linux in a dozen languages, and was available as a free download from the Mozilla Foundation website and on CD from the Mozilla store.

The version 1.0 of the browser included a pop-up blocker, online fraud protection, the integration of the main search services (so, Google, Yahoo, eBay, Amazon, Dictionary.com, Creative Commons), tab-based navigation and access to more than a hundred extensions.

“For two decades, Firefox has been the center of an open, user-centric web. From the early days of tabbed browsing and pop-up blocking to today’s privacy protections and customization options, Firefox has given users the control and freedom to explore the Internet their way,” Mozilla said. on the occasion of the anniversary.

Firefox monopolizes 2.65 percent of the global browser market, led by Chrome (66.68%) and Safari (18.07%), according to October 2024 data shared by StatCounter.

Its distribution fails, above all, on mobile devicesbut the company hopes that the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires implementing a browser selection screen in the initial configuration of a smartphone, will benefit them, especially now that Apple must also show it on iOS and not only Google on Android.

“With the DMA, although the implementation has not been excellent, we are seeing a real change. When people have the option to choose Firefox, they choose Firefox,” says Mozilla’s internal executive director, Laura Chambers, in an interview with TechCrunch on the occasion of the 20th anniversary, which Europa Press collects.

Looking to the future, the technology company aims to convince with its private browser commitment to the young publicsomething they are already doing with marketing campaigns that seek to bring this product closer to those who do not yet know it, as explained by the directors.

To this end, in addition to privacy, the company has focused in recent years on improve usabilityeven with the launch of experiments on user experience. They have also started implement artificial intelligence through generative models, guided by the Open Source Initiative.

“A browser designed for your choices and your privacy could play a very important role in the future of artificial intelligence, especially in a world where there are models taking action on your behalf,” Chambers adds.