Firefox app on android. Never seen this before until today. But Firefox is now putting ads in the app?
settings > homepage > shortcuts > uncheck 'sponsored shortcuts'
this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2025
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I think people need to appreciate that Mozilla is probably the only company in the world that will allow you to turn off ads like this, for free.
I turn everything off in Firefox’s new page except search! I always found the news stuff distracting too.
that's typically what i do but on desktop i turn off search too since a) i use the awesomebar primarily and b) my ntp is a background and i'd rather see that for a cleaner look :)
You should be able to turn off "web search" too if you go to the page mentioned in the parent comment.
(Note the Edit icon in the corner of the homepage does not give you all the options. It used to let you turn off sponsored content, but Mozilla removed that a couple versions ago.)
Thankies....you solved a problem I didn't know I had
So, every real alternative to Firefox, is most likely based on all the work that Mozilla has done on Firefox. People get it for free, and yet they crumple and whine, when Mozilla tries to get the money to keep steady development going.
I want it free, I want them to do all the work, and then I'm going to use another browser, based on their work, because I don't like that great development cost money - and I won't pay! Buhuu!
Get over yourself. Mozilla does great work for users worldwide. Don't like to see ads? Then start donating! Grow TF up, and realize that nothing is free in a capitalistic world!
Donating to Mozilla doesn't change any behavior in Firefox.
Also, donations to Mozilla don't go towards Firefox development. As far as I'm aware the only way to "give" money to Mozilla Corp (who work on Firefox, as opposed to the Mozilla Foundation) is to subscribe to the VPN service they resell.
It might... But I guess it's easier to just badmouth Firefox.
I would pay for Firefox. The same way I donate every year to Thunderbird!
But do you?
I prefer to view this as a socialist. Firefox is the work of tens of thousands of laborers, and is not owned by an out of touch upper class. Yet, they are mismanaging it.
It took me time to realize that I, a highly trained engineer, was a laborer and have similar issues to most people the last few centuries.
It is literally needed that the workers of Firefox rise up and revolt before the entire project is harmed beyond repair
That might be... Then you should work for that.
While I get the sentiment, I think you are missing the two pieces here. One is that advertising is not the only method of monetization which can support something like Firefox. The second is that advertising is by it's nature influence. Both in influence over the purchaser and reader. It's an influence we should not approve of in both cases, without better boundaries.
Oh, do enlighten me. How should they get som money otherwise?
I think Mozilla loathe ads as much as you and I... But do enlighten os, how can they earn enough money otherwise?
My question is: can it be turned off?
Mozilla has been trying to get me to look at news or use Pocket for years now, but it’s easy to turn off.
Edit to add: my above reference to turn off two different settings I’ve turned off for years now seemed obvious to me that I assumed it could be turned off.
Lot of people didn’t read past the first sentence.
Oooh this is lemmy.ml. Fuck gross bye
Goodbye, have a good day.
Settings>Homepage>Sponsored shortcuts
I turned it off a long time ago, I don't think this is new.
Yes. I'm pretty sure you can disable sponsored suggestions in the options, or you can also just delete the individual sponsored options. I've not seen one of these in the last 4 years.
Mozilla Firefox have never forced you to do anything in regards of ads. They fight for your right, for your freedom. Do you know there's a help file in the browser? It's a lot easier to use, than to write in here about mundane problems.
It was more of a rhetorical because of the second sentence, but it’s clear you didn’t read that far.
Is lemmy.ml chock full of dumbshits?
Why ask a question you have the answer. So weird
Well, you are here...
I think those have been there since forever?
This should be towards the top. I've been on FF4A for years now and they've had those links there the whole time. You can toggle them off if yku don't want them.
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As has always been the case, you can turn off Sponsored Shortcuts and Sponsored Stories.
Yeah... Never knew that setting existed because this is the first time I'm even seeing a sponsor.
If it was something besides some big Corpo I'd probably not have minded...
Mozilla's #1 sponsor is Google, which is why you'll see two Google logos on a fresh install of FF (after you click through their initial setup screens)
I didn't mind the occasional sponsor or two for many years. Then one day they went over the line.
Yeah I know i should be on librefox/waterfox. Im lazy okay?
You can disable them, but also I'm pretty sure the default behavior is just to fill extra space if you have less than 8 pinned shortcuts. Your single shortcut is why there are so many ads.
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This isn't new afaik. You can disable it in settings
Making a browser is expensive (especially with such incompetent management), they need to make money somehow.
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