Mozilla EarlierAnnounceBeijing Mozhi Firefox Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Beijing Firefox) will terminate all operations related to Mozilla and Firefox browser in China from September 9. However, the subsequent use of Firefox browser will not be affected and can still be used normally in China and continue to receive subsequent updates.
According to the announcement on Firefox's Chinese official website, Mozilla and Beijing Firefox reached an agreement on May 5 this year, confirming that Beijing Firefox will completely withdraw from local business and service operations related to Firefox. At that time, Beijing Firefox will no longer use any trademarks, copyrights or domain names authorized by Mozilla.
Mozilla stated that in the future, the operation of the Firefox browser and related communities in China will be taken over by its headquarters or authorized third-party operators, and it will continue to work closely with Beijing Firefox to ensure a smooth transition for existing users.
According to Mozilla's schedule, the following services will be terminated in phases between now and September 2025, 9:
• Effective immediately: Firefox’s Chinese official website will stop providing product download services.
• Effective immediately: The Firefox Passport account website will no longer accept new registrations and will be completely shut down on September 9. Existing account sync data will be stored in encrypted form on the server, but will no longer be updated and will be deleted after the deadline.
• Effective immediately: Firefox social network will no longer be open for registration, posting and commenting. If users need to back up their social network data, please complete the download before September 9.
• Starting at 9:29 am on September 12: Firefox’s Chinese official website, social networking site, Firefox Pass account service and homepage will cease operations and all services will be terminated.
Although the operating structure will be adjusted, Mozilla said that the Firefox browser will continue to provide downloads and version updates, and users can still use it normally in mainland China, and the basic functions of the browser will not be affected.
This adjustment means that Mozilla is re-examining its strategy and investment in the Chinese market. Prior to this, in response to the impact of the global new coronavirus epidemic, it laid off 250 employees worldwide andClose Taipei officeOn the other hand, Firefox has been gradually squeezed out of the global market by mainstream browsers such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, but it still maintains a certain voice among specific user groups with its emphasis on privacy protection and open source spirit. However, as the market share of Firefox browser continues to decline, it seems that Mozilla is also considering different development strategies.
For users who have long relied on Chinese resources or localized services, this wave of structural changes is undoubtedly a major turning point. Whether they can still obtain assistance and technical support through the Chinese community in the future remains to be seen what Mozilla's next response strategy will be.
