Paid advertisements are on their way to Mozilla Firefox's New Tab page, in an attempt to show more sites to first-time browser users. February 11, 2014 3:43 PM PST Mozilla wants to turn its New Tab page into something more useful for users, something with... ads. (Credit: Mozilla) Ads are coming to Firefox's New Tab page, browser maker Mozilla announced on Tuesday. Revealed at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual leadership meeting in Palm Desert, Calif., Mozilla said that the ads are part of an attempt to connect new browser users to sites that they might find relevant. Related stories: Google ad exec to take over top YouTube role, report says GoDaddy quitter: My boss was stunned Apple aims to target ads based on your mood Android phones whip iPhone at wooing mobile ad traffic but... Google discards extensions that force feed users ads in Chrome Called Directory Tiles, the initiative will use a combination of sponsored sites, popular sites based on geographic location, and Mozilla ecosystem items to fill in blank New Tab pages. Currently, the nine empty boxes on a new New Tab page fill in over time with sites culled from the user's browsing history, frequently visited sites, and bookmarks. "The sponsored tiles will be clearly labeled as such, while still leading to content we think users will enjoy," said Darren Herman, Mozilla's vice president of content services, in a blog post. Herman did not say when Directory Tiles would be introduced, stating only that Mozilla plans to show them to new Firefox users, "as soon as we have the user experience right." Mozilla has a reputation for attempting to protect user's privacy while encouraging people to use the Web more. Herman said in his post that Directory Tiles would allow the company to create a user-centered advertising experience that doesn't rely on private data from the user and supplement Mozilla's income at the same time. So far, it sounds like Mozilla is avoid the privacy pitfalls of data mining, although that's not entirely clear at this point. Mozilla did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Directory Tile specifics. CNET will update this story when we hear back from them.
Paid advertisements are on their way to Mozilla Firefox's New Tab page, in an attempt to show more sites to first-time browser users.
Mozilla wants to turn its New Tab page into something more useful for users, something with... ads.
(Credit: Mozilla)
Ads are coming to Firefox's New Tab page, browser maker Mozilla announced on Tuesday.
Revealed at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual leadership meeting in Palm Desert, Calif., Mozilla said that the ads are part of an attempt to connect new browser users to sites that they might find relevant.
Related stories:
- Google ad exec to take over top YouTube role, report says
- GoDaddy quitter: My boss was stunned
- Apple aims to target ads based on your mood
- Android phones whip iPhone at wooing mobile ad traffic but...
- Google discards extensions that force feed users ads in Chrome
Called Directory Tiles, the initiative will use a combination of sponsored sites, popular sites based on geographic location, and Mozilla ecosystem items to fill in blank New Tab pages. Currently, the nine empty boxes on a new New Tab page fill in over time with sites culled from the user's browsing history, frequently visited sites, and bookmarks.
"The sponsored tiles will be clearly labeled as such, while still leading to content we think users will enjoy," said Darren Herman, Mozilla's vice president of content services, in a blog post.
Herman did not say when Directory Tiles would be introduced, stating only that Mozilla plans to show them to new Firefox users, "as soon as we have the user experience right."
Mozilla has a reputation for attempting to protect user's privacy while encouraging people to use the Web more. Herman said in his post that Directory Tiles would allow the company to create a user-centered advertising experience that doesn't rely on private data from the user and supplement Mozilla's income at the same time. So far, it sounds like Mozilla is avoid the privacy pitfalls of data mining, although that's not entirely clear at this point.
Mozilla did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Directory Tile specifics. CNET will update this story when we hear back from them.
