Info On Google Chromium Components in Firefox

[Arnox]

@Vendor-Lazarus posted these links to show how much Chromium code is in Firefox:

https://archive.ph/odk9n, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebRTC, https://archive.ph/3zDI5, https://archive.ph/pdS87, https://archive.ph/kqYWs, https://archive.ph/RtCSO, https://archive.ph/nPaeN, https://archive.ph/lt9T7

I will be going through this list and seeing what is what.

Manifest v3.x

Firefox is indeed incorporating this standard BUT they are still supporting the Manifest v2.x standard and they have also made their own significant alterations to Google's more asinine proposals in v3.x.

WebRTC

Originally bought by Google and then released by them fully open source in 2011, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) took this project and developed it into a standard where it has stayed ever since. I would also like to note that this was back when Google was still kind of a force for good. Before the fall...

Polymer (library)

Web Components, the pieces of such later integrated into a single library called Polymer, is indeed mostly developed by Google, it looks like it's just an easy way to build web pages. I have no idea why it would be included in Firefox, or even any browser for that matter. This is much more a backend web developer tool than anything.

Firefox uses Google's Geo Location Services

In about:config, there is a setting called geo.provider.network.url. It's claimed that Firefox has this defaulted to https://www.googleapis.com/geolocation/v1/geolocate?key=%GOOGLE_LOCATION_SERVICE_API_KEY%. I confirmed this with my MX23/Debian 12 repository-installed edition of Firefox 135.x, so this is all true. However, keep in mind a couple things. For one, Firefox should by default explicitly ask you if you want to submit your location to a website at all if the site asks for it. For two, you can change this setting to https://location.services.mozilla.com/v1/geolocate?key=test, or data:application/json,{"location": {"lat": 40.7590, "lng": -73.9845}, "accuracy": 27000.0} for a specific location. For three, is submitting your IP to Mozilla really any more private? One might actually argue that it may ironically be MORE private to use Google as your request will mix in and be lost in a sea of a million requests. And finally, I'm not sure this even counts as this is not any part of Firefox's internal web engine and can also be completely disabled permanently without incident.

Skia Graphics Engine

This is an open-source 2D graphics library developed mainly by Google. With this one, there's no argument from me here. This is definitely a Chromium component in Firefox and should probably be examined by Firefox devs for future excision. In Mozilla's defense though, this is actually an OLD library first acquired by Google in 2005 and then released as open source in 2008.

Google Widevine Content Decryption Module (CDM)

This is a DRM decryption module that used to be run in a sandboxed mode by Firefox but also no longer seems to be in Firefox whatsoever to my knowledge. Checking the Plugins page for me only lists "OpenH264 Video Codec by Cisco Systems".

Safe Browsing/Firefox Phishing Protection

A component that checks a site against Google's generated and downloaded list of bad sites as far as I can tell. This is definitely Google-backed, so it's valid. Not a very important component though and you can switch it off in about:config and in the regular Firefox settings.

Irregexp

Forked from Google's code a while ago by Mozilla, and then reforked again when their implementation was old and busted. Not sure if this is still used in Firefox anymore these days, but assuming it is, this is fair.

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

Manifest v3.x

Firefox is indeed incorporating this standard BUT they are still supporting the Manifest v2.x standard and they have also made their own significant alterations to Google's more asinine proposals in v3.x.

It's more accurate to say that they have entirely adopted MV3, but kept" WebRequests" from MV2 for now. Most likely until very few codes MV2 extensions anymore. https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2022/05/18/manifest-v3-in-firefox-recap-next-steps/

They also like to talk about W3C, but know well enough that it's WHATWG that controls standards today.. Which is more than a little iffy on their part. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHATWG?useskin=vector#Transition_of_HTML_Publication_to_WHATWG

WebRTC

Originally bought by Google and then released by them fully open source in 2011, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) took this project and developed it into a standard where it has stayed ever since. I would also like to note that this was back when Google was still kind of a force for good. Before the fall...

The repository is under googlesource.com. Same as chromium.

Polymer (library)

Web Components, the pieces of such later integrated into a single library called Polymer, is indeed mostly developed by Google, it looks like it's just an easy way to build web pages. I have no idea why it would be included in Firefox, or even any browser for that matter. This is much more a backend web developer tool than anything.

It's also included in googles Angular and Node.js site frameworks, so that sites made with them requires googles Web Components in browsers. Something they control through source, and through WHATWG's "living standards". A rapid update cycle they came up with to incorporate Internet Explorer's old https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend,_and_extinguish?useskin=vector

Firefox uses Google's Geo Location Services

In about:config, there is a setting called geo.provider.network.url. It's claimed that Firefox has this defaulted to https://www.googleapis.com/geolocation/v1/geolocate?key=%GOOGLE_LOCATION_SERVICE_API_KEY%. I confirmed this with my MX23/Debian 12 repository-installed edition of Firefox 135.x, so this is all true. However, keep in mind a couple things. For one, Firefox should by default explicitly ask you if you want to submit your location to a website at all if the site asks for it. For two, you can change this setting to https://location.services.mozilla.com/v1/geolocate?key=test, or data:application/json,{"location": {"lat": 40.7590, "lng": -73.9845}, "accuracy": 27000.0} for a specific location. For three, is submitting your IP to Mozilla really any more private? One might actually argue that it may ironically be MORE private to use Google as your request will mix in and be lost in a sea of a million requests. And finally, I'm not sure this even counts as this is not any part of Firefox's internal web engine and can also be completely disabled permanently without incident.

Fair enough if alone, but when taken into account with all the other stuff, and how they're supposedly competitors.... well..

Skia Graphics Engine

This is an open-source 2D graphics library developed mainly by Google. With this one, there's no argument from me here. This is definitely a Chromium component in Firefox and should probably be examined by Firefox devs for future excision. In Mozilla's defense though, this is actually an OLD library first acquired by Google in 2005 and then released as open source in 2008.

Just like Pale Moon doesn't contain any of the above (or below) with exception to Web Components (as sites are almost mandating them today, see the explanation for why above), there are other alternatives than using google Skia. Like Cairo.

Google Widevine Content Decryption Module (CDM)

This is a DRM decryption module that used to be run in a sandboxed mode by Firefox but also no longer seems to be in Firefox whatsoever to my knowledge. Checking the Plugins page for me only lists "OpenH264 Video Codec by Cisco Systems".

Firefox stopped to support DRM ?

Can some explain to me what happened to Firefox ? It seems that from a certain point,it stopped to support DRM. I read it after its installation and confirmed here : If this is true,Chrome should be used even if you don't want,if you wanto to watch some protected content video.

forums.freebsd.org

It's not supported on Linux systems, but for sure on Windows builds. If you want to watch DRM stuff you have to download a separate package.

Safe Browsing/Firefox Phishing Protection

A component that checks a site against Google's generated and downloaded list of bad sites as far as I can tell. This is definitely Google-backed, so it's valid. Not a very important component though and you can switch it off in about:config and in the regular Firefox settings.

Again, alone it wouldn't mean as much.. It's not really needed though, https://forum.palemoon.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28695 while also having it's own internal list (which I admit I can't find right now, but when sus sites are accessed a warning page appears).

Irregexp

Forked from Google's code a while ago by Mozilla, and then reforked again when their implementation was old and busted. Not sure if this is still used in Firefox anymore these days, but assuming it is, this is fair.

Their current implementation is using google V8's javascript engine expressions, so it's highly relevant as google controls those (I)Regular Expression formats.

They have also been highly paid (90% of their income) by google: https://archive.ph/r6Hj6 recently, and many times before that as well. Not sure how the current setup looks like though.

Other, non-google related dubious actions on Mozilla/Firefox's part are;

Firefox is able to install extensions without your consent (https://archive.is/tswj9 & https://archive.li/7YHd1)

Firefox is able to disable your extensions without consent (https://archive.fo/kRXWP)

Firefox is pro-censorship: https://archive.is/nd1Ms

Firefox sends your keystrokes home: https://archive.ph/VVDE3

Firefox gives you a unique identifier (https://archive.ph/uKVUr)

Firefox uses pocket: https://archive.ph/nI7vr

Firefox collects telemetry: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/01/28/browse-the-telemetry-that-firefox-collects/

Mozilla Firefox: Datensendeverhalten Desktop-Version – Browser-Check Teil20

Firefox ist im Auslieferungszustand kein datenschutzfreundlicher Browser - er lässt sich aber zu einem umwandeln.

www.kuketz-blog.de

Web Browser telemetry - 2021 edition

Testing various web browsers to see what network connection they open by default on the initial start.

sizeof.cat

and Firefox asks for donations to mozilla, giving the impression of developing the browser but funds political activism. Mozilla Corporation is not the same as Mozilla Foundation: https://archive.is/ebTAw

There's also:

The Mozilla Information Trust Initiative: Building a movement to fight misinformation online | The Mozilla Blog

Today, we are announcing the Mozilla Information Trust Initiative (MITI)—a comprehensive effort to keep the Internet credible and healthy. Mozilla is dev

blog.mozilla.org

Firefox experiment recommends articles based on your browsing - gHacks Tech News

Mozilla launched a new Test Pilot project for Firefox today called Advance that provides article recommendations based on your browsing.

www.ghacks.net

Firefox tracks you with “privacy preserving” feature

noyb filed a complaint against Mozilla for quietly enabling a supposed “privacy feature” (called Privacy Preserving Attribution) in its Firefox browser which tracks user behaviour on websites.

noyb.eu

Mozilla – Investments and acquisitions

An overview of Mozilla's investments and acquisitions

www.soeren-hentzschel.at