Closed Bug 1130536 Opened 9 years ago Closed 6 years ago

Video Downloader Professional prompts to switch default search engine to their Google affiliate code

Categories

(WebExtensions :: General, defect)

x86
macOS
defect
Not set
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

RESOLVED WONTFIX

People

(Reporter: lmandel, Unassigned, NeedInfo)

Details

Attachments

(1 file)

As shown in the screenshot, Video Downloader Professional, which I installed from AMO, prompted me to switch default search engines to theirs at which point they will unlock more features. I think it's counter productive to Mozilla sustainability to host an add-on that encourages users to change their default search provider simply so that they can make the revenue off of search traffic instead of Mozilla. Can we please speak with the add-on author about curbing this practice and finding another source of revenue?
As long as the feature is opt-in, we allow it: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/docs/policies/reviews#section-defaults. Other add-ons do the same. Getting any revenue from add-ons is extremely difficult, so I'm not keen in telling a developer just to find some other way.
I think there's a difference between asking users to switch search engines, and requiring that they do so in order to enable certain features. I don't think we've ever allowed the latter.
We've allowed additional features to be non-free, which isn't so different from this case.
I filed this over a year ago and was about to file it again today. It rubs me the wrong way that this add-on is encouraging users to change our default search.

ni mconnor for feedback from the bd team.
Flags: needinfo?(mconnor)
Mass-closing bugs that relate to legacy versions of add-ons or are otherwise no longer worth tracking. Please comment if you think this bug should be reopened.

Sorry for the bugspam. Made you look, though!
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 6 years ago
Resolution: --- → WONTFIX
Component: Add-ons → General
Product: Tech Evangelism → WebExtensions
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