Mozilla Defies Russian Censors, Reinstates Firefox Extensions
What was the reaction of Mozilla’s community and developers to the initial removal of these extensions?
When Mozilla initially removed the five censorship-circumventing add-ons from its Firefox browser in Russia, the reaction from the community and developers was one of concern and questioning. Users and developers were particularly upset since they felt that the removal of these extensions went against Mozilla's commitment to an open internet. They questioned the company's decision, especially considering that it was done without directly notifying the developers of these extensions, as reported by the Register.
The community expressed their discontent on Mozilla's support forum, demanding an explanation and voicing their concerns. They questioned how the removal of these add-ons aligned with Mozilla's mission to "ensure the Internet is a global public resource, open and accessible to all."
In response to these reactions, Mozilla stated that the removal was due to "recent regulatory changes in Russia" and that it was temporary. They mentioned that they were "carefully considering the next steps, taking into account our local community."
After considering the situation, Mozilla decided to reinstate access to the extensions. Edward Sullivan, Mozilla's community- and developer-relations manager, said in a statement, "We remain committed to supporting our users in Russia and worldwide and will continue to advocate for an open and accessible internet for all." This incident highlights the ongoing struggle between tech companies and government regulators over internet censorship and user privacy.
Which Firefox extensions are involved in this controversy and what are their main functions?
The Firefox extensions involved in this controversy are Censor Tracker and Runet Censorship Bypass. These extensions are designed to help users bypass censorship and access blocked websites in countries with strict internet regulations, such as Russia. Censor Tracker detects when a website has been blocked, while Runet Censorship Bypass allows users to access websites that have been blocked by Russian authorities. These extensions have been restored by Mozilla after initially being removed from the Firefox add-on repository in Russia.
What specific reasons did Mozilla cite for originally pulling the Firefox extensions in Russia?
Mozilla originally pulled the Firefox extensions in Russia due to "persistent requests" from the Russian media regulator, Roskomnadzor. The company cited "recent regulatory changes in Russia" as the reason for its decision, which seemed to reference Russia's ban of websites and ads offering information on virtual private networks (VPNs) that came into effect on March 1. The affected extensions offered access to websites blocked in Russia, including Tor sites and other resources such as libraries, encyclopedias, and oppositional political sites.