←back to thread

Unknown Mozilla dev addon "Looking Glass 1.0.3" on browser

(support.mozilla.org)
757 points shak77 | 3 comments | 15 Dec 17 13:47 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
UmmNope ◴[15 Dec 17 17:04 UTC] No.15933189[source]▶
Mozilla takes in about half a billion dollars per year, has anyone considered the consideration for which this money is being paid ?
replies(1): >>15934116 #
callahad ◴[15 Dec 17 18:57 UTC] No.15934116[source]▶
That's FUD. Mozilla is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and our audited financial statements and IRS Form 990 can be found at https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/foundation/annualreport/
replies(2): >>15934214 #>>15934531 #
1. jordigh ◴[15 Dec 17 19:11 UTC] No.15934214[source]▶
Mozilla is... both. There's the Mozilla Foundation which is a nonprofit and the Mozilla Corporation which is very much not.

I've never quite understood what each Mozilla does, but AIUI, the Firefox development is all done by Mozilla Corp and the nonprofit does stuff like make those cute videos about how Firefox is going to save the world and make us all smiley and multiethnic.

I've talked to a number of Mozilla employees, and they also seem confused about the relationship between the corp and the foundation.

replies(2): >>15934409 #>>15938734 #
2. callahad ◴[15 Dec 17 19:40 UTC] No.15934409[source]▶
The Mozilla Corporation ("MoCo"), which develops Firefox, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the non-profit Mozilla Foundation ("MoFo"). Each has its own board of directors, but the Corporation exists to serve the public benefit goals of the non-profit. The link above has a decent overview, and if you're especially curious, bylaws and articles of incorporation for each are at https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/foundation/about/.
3. Sylos ◴[16 Dec 17 09:53 UTC] No.15938734[source]▶
The Mozilla Corporation is 100% owned by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation, so any earnings that the Corporation makes, they either have to reinvest, put it to the side to reinvest it later or pay it out to the Foundation, where it's again in non-profit hands (i.e. forced to invest into their specified mission).

The only way that the Corporation could do shenanigans, is by paying their employees higher wages than would be necessary to hold them or is considered reasonable for the job that they do.

It was set up, because there's limits to how much money a non-profit is allowed to put to the side, which would have limited Mozilla's strategic flexibility.