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Firefox Plans Smarter, Privacy-First Search Suggestions In Your Address Bar (nerds.xyz)

(Monday October 27, 2025 @11:30PM (BeauHD) from the new-and-improved dept.)


[1]BrianFagioli shares a report from NERDS.xyz:

> Mozilla is testing a new Firefox feature that [2]delivers direct results inside the address bar instead of forcing users through a search results page. The company [3]says the feature will use a privacy framework called [4]Oblivious HTTP , encrypting queries so that no single party can see both what you type and who you are. Some results could be sponsored, but Mozilla insists neither it nor advertisers will know user identities. The system is starting in the U.S. and may expand later if performance and privacy benchmarks are met.

Further reading: [5]Mozilla to Require Data-Collection Disclosure in All New Firefox Extensions



[1] https://slashdot.org/~BrianFagioli

[2] https://nerds.xyz/2025/10/firefox-better-search-suggestions/

[3] https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/better-search-suggestions/

[4] https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc9458.html

[5] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/10/27/0359250/mozilla-to-require-data-collection-disclosure-in-all-new-firefox-extensions



"Some results could be sponsored" (Score:4, Insightful)

by RitchCraft ( 6454710 )

Yeah, no thanks.

Re: (Score:3)

by usedtobestine ( 7476084 )

Better yet, they could give us a checkbox to NOT search from the address bar.

Re: (Score:1)

by rudy_wayne ( 414635 )

> .... some results might be sponsored, but Mozilla says neither it nor advertisers will know who’s seeing them.

Then what is the point? Why would you pay to advertise if you don't know who is seeing your ads? That makes no sense.

You are in the ad business or you aren't. You have to pick one.

Re: (Score:2)

by registrations_suck ( 1075251 )

Before the internet came along, you barely had any real idea who would see your ads.

Buy an ad in the city paper. Who sees it? Could be fucking anybody. Maybe the paper could tell you something about subscribers, but that's only a small number of people who read the paper and there is no guarantee they see your ad. Just one example.

Wait, I like the list (Score:2)

by marcle ( 1575627 )

I rarely use the top link of search results. I want to see a range of results so I can pick the most appropriate or narrow my search. I most certainly do not want my browser to assume it knows what I'm looking for.

Instead of "forcing" users? (Score:2)

by Big Hairy Gorilla ( 9839972 )

I find this tone of writing implies the status quo is torturous. Who wants to be abused? Rhetoric. You'd be a fool to read a plain webpage, when we can jump in front of that slop with this instant, so soooo easy for you to just click what we put in front of you. You're lazy, your gonna click it. Curated results for everything. Convenience has silently replaced choice, and not many people really know. Or care. You now live in the filter bubble, the dream of authoritarians and tech companies.

"no single party

Re: (Score:2)

by registrations_suck ( 1075251 )

Huh??

Your post makes zero sense at all.

Disable everything (Score:2)

by Slashythenkilly ( 7027842 )

Its contradictory to say privacy-first if you also want it to monitor what you are typing. We already have google that will go that for you but this has to be attached to my browing history? We know what Google Incognito Mode got us so no thank you.

Do students of Zen Buddhism do Om-work?