this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2025
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Mozilla makes developing browser extensions easier. (www.techzine.eu)
submitted 16 hours ago by Tea@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Mozilla is developing a new, simplified way for extension developers to obtain permission to collect user data. The new system will be integrated into the Firefox extension installation process in 2025 and will eliminate the various, often confusing permission screens that developers currently have to build themselves.

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[–] drspod@lemmy.ml 40 points 14 hours ago

We will have to watch closely how Mozilla implements these standardized consent dialogs, because this could be a devious way of obfuscating from the user whether the app uses their data in acceptable or unacceptable ways. I wouldn't put anything past the new surveillance capitalism friendly Mozilla Corp.

The article doesn't link to the source, which is this post:

https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2025/04/03/rethinking-extension-data-consent-clarity-consistency-and-control/

Today, our Add-on policies dictate that any extension that collects or transmits user data must create and display a data consent dialog. This consent dialog must clearly state what type of data is being collected and inform the user about the impact of accepting or declining the data collection.

Whilst the policy is a great example of Firefox’s commitment to transparency and protecting user data, it can add significant overhead for developers who want to build on our platform, and it creates a confusing experience for end users who often encounter many different data consent experiences for every extension they install. These custom data consent experiences also increase the time it takes for add-on reviewers to process a new extension version, as they need to verify this custom code is compliant with our policies. We’re simplifying how extensions gets consent to collect data

In 2025 we will launch a new data consent experience for extensions, built into the Firefox add-on installation flow itself. This will dramatically reduce the:

  • development effort required to be compliant with Firefox data policies
  • confusion users faces when installing extensions by providing a more consistent experience, giving them more confidence and control around the data collected or transmitted
  • effort it takes AMO reviewers to evaluate an extension version to ensure it’s compliant with our data collection policies

Developers won’t need to bother with creating their own custom data consent experiences. Soon, developers will simply be able to specify in the manifest what types of data the extension collects/transmits and this will automatically be reflected in a unified consent experience across all Firefox extensions.