As part of its new subscription service model, Mozilla Firefox is offering its users the possibility of finding and removing their personal and sensitive information from data brokers across the internet. This new subscription model is known as Mozilla Monitor Plus and will allow users to locate and remove their sensitive information.
To eliminate their phone numbers, e-mail, home addresses, and other information that is usually sold to data broker platforms for profit, the company offers a new subscription model called Mozilla Monitor-Plus. This is particularly interesting since Mozilla already offers a free service of privacy monitoring called Firefox Monitor which was previously known as Mozilla Monitor - which is now being revamped to strengthen privacy for users.
Previously, Mozilla Monitor was a free service that sent users notifications when their email accounts had been compromised. The new version is now called Monitor-Plus, and it is a subscription-based service. Approximately 10 million current Mozilla Monitor users will now have the opportunity to run scans to see if their personal information has been hacked by using the subscription-based service.
Whenever a breach is detected, Monitor Plus provides the tools to make sure that a user's information remains private again if a breach is detected. Data broker websites have a convoluted and confusing process that individuals have to deal with when they try to remove their information from them. It is not uncommon for people to find themselves unsure of who is using their personal information or how to get rid of it once they find it online.
However, most sites have either an opt-out page or require them to contact the broker directly to request removal. This process can be simplified by Mozilla Monitor, which searches across 190 data broker sites known for selling private and personal information proactively.
Mozilla will initiate a request on behalf of the user for removal if any data provided to Mozilla is discovered on those sites, including name, location, and birthdate. The removal process can take anywhere from a day to a month, depending on how serious the problem is. There are two subscription options available for users of this feature, the Monitor Plus subscription costs $13.99 per month or $8.99 per month with an annual subscription, which includes this feature.
The free option for users who do not wish to subscribe to Firefox is to scan data broker sites once. However, these users will have to manually go through the steps to remove their information from these websites. This may encourage them to upgrade to the Monitor Plus subscription, as it provides automatic removals for a process that can be very tedious otherwise.
In regards to data breaches, both free and paid users will continue to receive alerts and will have access to tools to learn how to fix high-risk breaches. By providing their email addresses, as well as a few personal details such as their first and last name, city, state, and date of birth, users can initiate a free one-time scan for their device.
There will then be the possibility to scan the tool for potential exposures and let users know about them and how they can be fixed. It is Mozilla's policy to initiate a data removal request on behalf of users who wish to have their data removed. The status of the requests of users can be viewed, as well as the progress of their requests can be tracked.
Furthermore, Mozilla will perform a monthly scan after the removal of personal information to ensure that it is kept safe on 190+ data broker sites even after the removal. Users must submit their first and last name, current city and state, date of birth, and email address to initiate a scan. Mozilla has an extensive privacy policy that protects the privacy of this information and encrypts it.
With this kind of information in hand, Mozilla applies a scan to your personal information, showing you where your information has been exposed by data breaches, brokers, or websites that collect personal information. In 2023 alone, 233 million people will have been affected by data breaches, and it is for this reason that a tool such as this is vital in the current environment.
The Mozilla Monitor Plus subscription will include monthly scans and automatic removal of any malware that is found on your computer.
