Mozilla Launches Free VPN in Firefox to Win Back Users

Mozilla is betting big on privacy with a new move: It is currently testing a free VPN service built directly into Firefox which is a feature that arrives as the browser struggles to maintain relevance with just 2.5% market share in the United States and around 2-3% globally.

The timing couldn’t be better for this cool feature. Around the world, content restrictions and privacy concerns are pushing millions of users toward VPN services. Countries are increasingly implementing blocking mechanisms for various types of content, from adult websites to social media platforms and news outlets.

In France, for instance, mandatory age verification on adult websites introduced in July triggered a dramatic market reshaping. Major platforms like PornHub and YouPorn chose to exit France entirely rather than comply while others like Xvideos implemented verification systems. The unintended consequence? A proliferation of illegal sites flooding Google search results and a massive surge in VPN adoption.

But France is just one example among many. Certain US states have implemented similar age verification laws for adult content (like Texas or Florida where PornHub is banned) while countries like Turkey and China maintain extensive content blocking systems. Even within democratic nations, geographic licensing restrictions prevent users from accessing streaming content available in other regions.

Unlike Mozilla’s existing paid VPN service which protects all internet traffic on a device, this new Firefox offering focuses exclusively on web traffic flowing through the browser itself. The advantage is simplicity: no separate application to install, no complex configuration menus to navigate. Users simply toggle the feature on within Firefox, and their IP address is masked and their ISP can no longer monitor their online activities.

Mozilla promises unlimited data with no connection speed throttling. The company also commits to collecting only minimal technical data necessary for service operation which would be deleted after three months. Most importantly, Mozilla pledges never to log browsing history or track downloaded content. On paper, it sounds like an ideal privacy solution. But in practice, there are significant complications.

The American jurisdiction problem

Here’s where things get tricky: Mozilla is an American company operating servers on US soil. This places it squarely under American jurisdiction and within the reach of the Five Eyes alliance which is an intelligence-sharing pact among English-speaking nations. Even with the best intentions, Mozilla could be legally compelled to respond to government data requests or modify its practices under pressure.

American tech companies have a documented history of receiving National Security Letters and FISA court orders, often accompanied by gag orders preventing them from disclosing these requests. While Mozilla’s stated no-log policy means there would theoretically be nothing to hand over, the jurisdiction issue remains a psychological and legal barrier for privacy-conscious users who prefer VPN providers based in countries like Switzerland, Panama, or the British Virgin Islands.

Mozilla isn’t pioneering this space of built-in VPNs: Opera has offered a free integrated VPN for years, and Brave has developed its own solution. Microsoft Edge recently introduced comparable privacy features as well, even if it’s probably not the most private either. The trend is real: Privacy protection has become a crucial competitive differentiator for browsers fighting for relevance.

However, these integrated VPNs fall short compared to dedicated VPN services: Server counts are limited, configuration options are minimal, and performance can be disappointing. Firefox VPN will initially offer only American servers at launch which restricts its usefulness for accessing geo-restricted content or achieving genuine location diversity.