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Waterfox

Privacy Policy

Version 1.1 — 11 October 2021

An easy to digest privacy policy

We strive to collect only the absolute minimum to provide you with a useable web experience. We try to avoid any personal data where we can and keep data collection to the minimum.

In this Privacy Notice, we explain what data Waterfox shares and point you to settings to share even less.

Waterfox by default shares data to:

Waterfox does not collect telemetry about your installation - any telemetry modules are disable when the browser is built. What you do in your browser is only known by you.

You can perform searches directly from several places in Waterfox, including the Awesome Bar, Search Bar, or on a New Tab. We receive data about the number of searches you request from our search partners.

  • Location data: When you first use Waterfox, it uses your IP address to set your default search provider based on your country. Learn more.
  • Search queries: Waterfox by default sends search queries to your search provider to help you discover common phrases other people have searched for and improve your search experience if your selected search provider supports search suggestions. Learn more, including how to disable this feature.

Improve security for users everywhere

Technical data for updates: Desktop versions of Waterfox check for browser updates by persistently connecting to Waterfox’s update servers. Your Waterfox version, language, specific search configurations and device operating system are used to apply the correct updates. Mobile versions of Firefox may connect to another service if you used one to download and install Firefox. Learn more.

Note: The above cannot be changed as without this information we cannot provide you with the correct update files.

Technical data for add-ons blocklist: Waterfox for Desktop and Android periodically connect to external services to protect you and others from malicious add-ons. Your Waterfox version and language, device operating system, and list of installed add-ons are needed to apply and update the add-ons blocklist. Learn more.

Webpage and technical data to Certificate Authorities: When you visit a secure website (usually identified with a URL starting with “HTTPS”), Waterfox validates the website’s certificate. This may involve Waterfox sending certain information about the website to the Certificate Authority identified by that website. Opting out increases the risk of your private information being intercepted. Learn more.

Distribution Builds of Waterfox

If you have come to Waterfox by clicking on one of our compaigns, the below information is needed.

  • Campaign and Referral Data: This helps Waterfox understand the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.

    On Desktop: Waterfox by default sends Waterfox HTTP data that may be included with Waterfox installer. This enables us to determine the website domain or advertising campaign (if any) that referred you to our download page.

If you use Waterfox Sync with a Firefox account, Waterfox will by necessity have to share certain data with a third party. Please read the privacy policy for Firefox accounts here.

Firefox Accounts

Sync

  • Synced data: If you enable Sync, whichever third party you use for this service receives the information that you sync across devices in encrypted form. This may include Waterfox tabs, add-ons, passwords, payment autofill information, bookmarks, history, and preferences. Deleting the relevant account will delete related Sync content. You can also read the documentation.

Location

  • Location data for HTML geolocation service: Waterfox always asks before determining and sharing your location with a requesting website (for example, if a map website needs your location to provide directions). To determine location, Waterfox will use your operating system’s geolocation features.

Website notifications

  • Connection data: If you allow a website to send you notifications, Waterfox connects with a third party service and uses your IP address to relay the message. Waterfox nor the third party service can access the content of messages.
  • Interaction data: The third party service aggregate data such as the number of subscriptions and unsubscriptions to website notifications, number of messages sent, timestamps, and senders (which may include specific website providers).

Read the full documentation for the third party service for more information.

If you do not want this to occur, simply decline any website notification requests.

Add-ons

You can install Add-ons from addons.mozilla.org (“AMO”), chrome.google.com/webstore (“CWS”) and addons.opera.com/extensions (“OWS”).

  • Technical data for updates: Waterfox periodically connects with whichever store to install updates to Add-ons. Your installed Add-ons, Waterfox version, language, and device operating system are used to apply the correct updates.