Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

revert firefox before 38.0.5

  • 6 replies
  • 11 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by John99

more options

how do I revert from 38.0.5 without loosing all my addons and settings, In order to remove "stealth installed" "pocket" completely from browser?

"disabling" is NOT enough.

I DO NOT WANT ANY RECORDING CODING "BUILT INTO" THE BROWSER.

how do I revert from 38.0.5 without loosing all my addons and settings, In order to remove "stealth installed" "pocket" completely from browser? "disabling" is NOT enough. I DO NOT WANT ANY RECORDING CODING "BUILT INTO" THE BROWSER.

All Replies (6)

more options

Cor-el I see your currently working on this one.

I just want to give you a heads up I have already sent feedback to mozilla through the "submit feedback" in the browser help tab.   in case you read the other comments I made about pocket in another question.

This question is NOT a continuation of that.

I really do want to revert my browser, because I view "pocket" as a bigger security/ privacy threat than any recent security fixes.

I also have custom settings with my addons I do not want to loose. which is why want to revert without loosing the addons

more options

It is not safe to downgrade to older Firefox versions especially on Windows where you easily can get infected with malware.

You can right-click the Pocket button and click "Remove from Toolbar" or "Remove from Menu" to disable Pocket and move the Pocket button to the Customize palette. That will remove the Pocket entries in the Bookmarks menu. This only works if browser.pocket.enabled = true After you have removed the button from the toolbar then you can close and restart Firefox and toggle browser.pocket.enabled to false (that will remove the Pocket button from the Customize palette after a restart) and set the value of all the browser.pocket.* string prefs to an empty string to prevent Firefox from accessing the Pocket API and Pocket website.

You can also consider to use a mozilla.cfg file to lock the browser.pocket.enabled pref to false. See:

//
lockPref("browser.pocket.enabled", false);
more options

Cor-el you have not answered my question.

I do not even want the coding in the browser period.

I explicitly said "disabling it is NOT enough" I did not ask for advice on disabling pocket. Nor did I ask for advice on why I should NOT revert.

I asked advice on how to revert to the last browser version.   I know the risks of doing so, I also pointed out that I VIEW "pocket" to be the greater danger   than unfix security flaws.

what is to stop "pocket" from changing coding to allow it to record despite setting the about-config to locked false mode

The only reason I updated at all was to get a security update. IT DID NOT TELL ME A NEW FEATURE WAS BEING ADDED.

I rather deal with the security flaws then to have a recorder built into the browser itself.

The company that provides "pocket" has a "profit incentive" to record user data. Which is a major security risk to me because it is a severe conflict of interest in regards to protecting my privacy.

So again:

I ask how do I revert my browser while keeping my addons intact due to custom settings I do not want to loose?
more options

When you were posting, was this article suggested: Install an older version of Firefox?

more options

I have no reason to believe that if you disable Pocket that there is then any communication made between Fireox and pocket, (other than any of the users own ordinary browsing) or that there is any pocket code left in the browser.

I am certain there will be no way for pocket to activate itself in your browser. (Other than if it is compromised, for instance by using an outdated version that is then exploited)

Note also this posted elsewhere by jscher2000

... as far as I know, Firefox wouldn't send data to or make requests from Pocket unless you sign into a Pocket account. If I'm wrong, I'm sure there will be plenty of screaming from people who keep an eye out for such things. Installing Firefox 38.0.5 doesn't sign you up for Pocket or bind you to any Pocket terms. This is not so different than the Firefox connectors for numerous other third party services (https://activations.cdn.mozilla.net/), except that the Pocket connector is bundled into Firefox itself rather than having to be added on. If you or anyone else wants to read the code related to Pocket that is included in Firefox, you can find the core files here: http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-release/source/browser/components/pocket/ (the preferences you find in about:config are in other files)

I will try to confirm that this is correct ASAP but it will probably not be until later next week that staff will be able to get to my request. Please post back midweek if there is no confirmation of the above.

more options

Hi frugal, We are trying to be helpful with you regarding your concerns on the use of Firefox, and offer the best advice. I will try to give a more direct answer to your questions.

Privacy & Removing Pocket Code Pocket is NOT installed in Firefox, all you are seeing is a general purpose interface, that at this time may be absent or only offer Pocket. Unless you have started using Pocket there is nothing from pocket to uninstall.

A Mozilla staff member answering concerns about Pocket said the following

  1. Why can't the Pocket integration be fully removed?
    I believe the intention for the "browser.pocket.enabled" config option is to allow complete removal of Pocket integration from all menus. It has become apparent that this is not the current behavior. This is definitely a bug, ...
  2. Is the integration proprietary/closed source? How does this comply with our user privacy policies?
    The integration is open source and non-proprietary. It is an integrated part of the Firefox code base. As such the Pocket integration falls under the same licensing and policies as the rest of Firefox.

    That said, while the integration itself is Mozilla licensed and built with respect to Mozilla's commitment to privacy, the Pocket service itself falls under Pocket's own privacy policy and end-user licensing. ...


My understanding of point 1.) Is that this is considered by Mozilla to be a minor issue. That the behaviour of that pref  : browser.pocket.enabled will be improved in Firefox 41 (bug 1163917 & 1170990 ) )
(Personally I am unable to test Fx 41 at present, but I hope to do so sometime next week ) For now anyone who has disabled Pocket by setting browser.pocket.enabled to "false" in about:config will; first of all; have to reset that pref to "true" and then follow the instructions in the Disable or re-enable Pocket for Firefox article. However I guess that still allows you to renable Pocket easily later and will continue to be the case.

Point 2.) Explains you only have none Mozilla code, and none Mozilla T&C if you actually use Pocket.

Recent change resulting in offer of Pocket feature in Firefox This is a development policy decision. This is a community driven support forum. You need to contact decision makers, not fellow Firefox users. Please follow or contribute to the ongoing discussion on the Governance section

Please do not use an old insecure version of Firefox. Whilst you are free to download and use an official copy of an old and insecure version of Firefox the advice from this forum is to use the: current, secure, supported Release; or use an alternative browser that is secure. This link to the following article has already been provided. The article includes a link for obtaining old copies of Firefox, however those are now expected to only be used for research and development work. Advice on their use and installation is not provided.

You may also find these articles of use