716483 - Firefox sync requires third party

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Untriaged, defect)

Description

[Hadmut Danisch]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Ubuntu; X11; Linux x86_64; rv:9.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/9.0.1
Build ID: 20111228084940

Steps to reproduce:

I was considering to use the firefox sync function to synchronize my firefoxes on my several computers


Actual results:

Firefox asked me to open an account at some server somewhere in the world, without telling who is going to get a copy of my settings, and - even if it is (allegedly) encrypted - following my ip addresses all the time, and most probably storing my user data in the United States.


Expected results:

Should ask which service provider I want to use and enable to setup my own sync server to keep my privacy intact.

Why exaclty is Mozilla so eager to store all settings at a central location?

Comment 1

[Robert Longson [:longsonr]]

You can set up your own server if you want: http://docs.services.mozilla.com/howtos/run-sync.html

Comment 2

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

There are no other providers for Mozilla synch servers and thus there is no option to select the server.
You have to read instructions anyway if you want to create your own server and you will find enough information if you search with "firefox sync server".

Comment 3

[Hadmut Danisch]

Thanks for the link to setting up my own sync server.

But how would I tell firefox to use my server instead of Mozilla's ?

Comment 4

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

tools/setup sync/create new Account/server: Use custom server.

Comment 5

[Matthew N. [:MattN]]

It seems like your concerns were addressed since you can setup your own server and we have UI to allow you to specify the URI.