| ▲ | shellwizard 7 hours ago |
| I wish they would let users fund Firefox development directly and not Mozilla's own agenda |
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| ▲ | pseudalopex 4 hours ago | parent | next [-] |
| Users can fund Firefox development by subscribing to Firefox Relay, Mozilla Monitor, Mozilla VPN, or MDN Plus. |
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| ▲ | drtgh 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| This sounds extremely necessary, but what warrants the funds reaching such a exclusive destination? I think that Firefox needs an exclusive non-profit foundation, but I don't think Mozilla Corporation/Foundation would allow it, so a fork with a new name (marketing problem) sounds necessary (although splitting the forces may not be a good idea?), I wonder if the current Firefox's forked communities could join forces to create such non-profit foundation, and start from there, making grow the developers under such non-profit foundation, the new main tree. |
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| ▲ | 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| [deleted] |
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| ▲ | starik36 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| Browser development is done by Mozilla Corporation which is a for-profit entity. It's illegal to donate to it. This is by design of the US tax code. You can donate to Mozilla Foundation (parent entity of Mozilla Corporation), which is a non-profit. But you can't expressly state that the money go towards browser development. |
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| ▲ | jonas21 6 hours ago | parent [-] | | It's perfectly legal under US law to donate to a for-profit corporation. The donor just can't take a tax deduction for it. | | |
| ▲ | pseudalopex 4 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | It is legal. But most for profit corporations don't solicit gifts because it isn't worth the compliance costs and risks. Some were punished when donors took tax deductions. Or the IRS decided their disclosures were inadequate. Or they overlooked a state or province regulation. And they were not associated with non profit foundations with similar names. Anyone can give Mozilla Corporation money by purchasing services. | |
| ▲ | alwa 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | Do I understand correctly that the parent nonprofit Foundation can decide to use some of its donor money to fund its for-profit Corporation (with the same tax treatment as any other investment, and of the corporation’s profits before they’re returned to the Foundation)? But donors can’t direct their gifts to that use if the donors still intend to deduct them as charitable donations? And thus I guess Foundation has to do a good amount of conventional non-profitty stuff like “education and advocacy,” otherwise it would just be a flimsy facade for what’s substantially a for-profit endeavor? Why is the browser arm organized as a for-profit at all? | | |
| ▲ | input_sh 6 hours ago | parent [-] | | It's the other way around, Mozilla Corporation is profitable and those profits go directly to the Mozilla Foundation which owns 100% of it. This idea that Mozilla doesn't have enough money to fund Firefox is just wrong, Firefox development is perfectly sustainable, it earns more money than it spends. If you want to give money to the Mozilla Corporation instead of the foundation, you do the same thing as with any company: you purchase products from them (such as their VPN or MDN Plus, both of which are owned by the corporation). > Why is the browser arm organized as a for-profit at all? So that they can make business deals with the likes of Google, which they wouldn't be able to do as a non-profit. Edit: I really wish there was a single thread about Mozilla here that doesn't devolve into this being like 80% of the comments. Maybe one day. |
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| ▲ | starik36 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | Right. It is legal. But in the tax code it's called a "gift", rather than a "donation". |
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| ▲ | SG- 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-] |
| how much have you funded? |
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| ▲ | stronglikedan 6 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | Why would you think they have funded anything given that they clearly stated they are against funding Mozilla's agenda which is currently the only option? | | |
| ▲ | jamespo 5 hours ago | parent [-] | | Would they otherwise? Unlikely, the internet is a moocher's paradise | | |
| ▲ | johnmaguire 5 hours ago | parent [-] | | Um, if they are asking for an avenue to do so, probably yes? I personally spend hundreds a month on charitable donations - to political advocacy groups, social outreach organizations, and to open-source software that provides me immense value. I think this is one of the most direct ways I can influence the world around me. | | |
| ▲ | pseudalopex 4 hours ago | parent [-] | | It is well known in fund raising most people who say they would donate will not donate. And anyone can give Mozilla Corporation money now by subscribing to their services. |
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| ▲ | phyzome 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | Can't speak for them, but I agree with the sentiment, and I've given them at least $1000. I sure as hell wouldn't give them money these days. Pretty pissed at the direction they've been heading. | |
| ▲ | yjftsjthsd-h 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | Nobody has funded the browser, because nobody can find the browser. You can't gotcha people with not giving money to other causes than the one they said they wanted to support. | | |
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