←back to thread

Unknown Mozilla dev addon "Looking Glass 1.0.3" on browser

(support.mozilla.org)
757 points shak77 | 1 comments | 15 Dec 17 13:47 UTC | HN request time: 0.211s | source
Show context
proaralyst ◴[15 Dec 17 14:18 UTC] No.15931920[source]▶
Looks like it's a promo for Mr Robot, which is really not ok.

> What's happening? Are you a fan of Mr Robot? Are you trying to solve one of the many puzzles that the Mr Robot team has built? You’re on the right track. Firefox and Mr Robot have collaborated on a shared experience to further your immersion into the Mr Robot universe, also known as an Alternate Reality Game (ARG). The effects you’re seeing are a part of this shared experience.[0]

EDIT: looking at this[1] comment, perhaps it's not a promo?

[0]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/lookingglass [1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/7jh9rv/what_is_loo...

replies(6): >>15931970 #>>15931979 #>>15931992 #>>15932342 #>>15932797 #>>15934413 #
exelius ◴[15 Dec 17 14:26 UTC] No.15931992[source]▶
Seems kind of like it is part of an ARG. I can't say I'm totally against something like that; Mozilla's gotta make money somehow, and as long as it's not selling out user privacy it's a better tradeoff than Chrome.
replies(5): >>15932063 #>>15932139 #>>15932770 #>>15935244 #>>15936309 #
tamriel ◴[15 Dec 17 14:34 UTC] No.15932063[source]▶
> Mozilla's gotta make money somehow

They're a nonprofit; they're not allowed to just "make money". And, they already take donations.

replies(6): >>15932081 #>>15932086 #>>15932213 #>>15932708 #>>15934780 #>>15936331 #
hbosch ◴[15 Dec 17 14:37 UTC] No.15932081[source]▶
I think the the term “non-profit” is more about how an organization spends the money, rather than how they make it. Non profits and charities definitely bring in money through channels other than donations...
replies(3): >>15932184 #>>15932230 #>>15932239 #
tamriel ◴[15 Dec 17 14:56 UTC] No.15932230[source]▶
I agree.

I merely challenge the notion that a nonprofit -- which proudly tumpets its benevolence and non-profitness -- should get a free pass for covertly installing advertising arrangements, just because they need to "make money".

Their charter and marketing is all about defending the internet from the companies doing shady things to make money, so they can't have their cake and eat it.

replies(3): >>15932921 #>>15932986 #>>15933481 #
TheRealPomax ◴[15 Dec 17 17:40 UTC] No.15933481[source]▶
That would be a valid complaint if this was an advertising arrangment, rather than one where if you watch the TV show, you learn that you can activate a firefox addon to participate in an small AR game that changes your normal web experience into a Mr Robot style web experience for the duration.

The addon itself does not advertise for Mr. Robot, Mr. Robot advertises for this addon.

replies(2): >>15934304 #>>15936727 #
1. kelnos ◴[15 Dec 17 19:25 UTC] No.15934304[source]▶
Sure, but why install it on random people's installs, even in some sort of disabled state? Viewers should be called on to install it themselves. I'd be cool with, say, an about: page that makes it easy for users to discover it, but pre-installing the addon in people's browser's seems a bit much.