Michael W Lucas 
using #firefox or a derivative? Setting browser.ml.chat.enabled=false turns off the brand-new AI features.
You're welcome.
(RIP my mentions, muting this)
naught101@mwl like.. There's no UI to disable them? WTF.
Laurens 🐐@naught101 @mwl It's already set to 'false' in LibreWolf by default. I just checked.
edit: I still use FF so I did edit the setting there (I have LW installed as a fallback). Users should be able to easily toggle the setting, though and it should not be turned on by default.
FoolishOwl@ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl Also in Waterfox.
Though it's probably a good idea to check anyway.
mcSlibinas
Jargoggles@ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl
Yeah, I was just about to say that I fixed this issue (and a lot of the other Mozilla bullshit) by switching to LibreWolf. Highly recommend.
Yeah, I was just about to say that I fixed this issue (and a lot of the other Mozilla bullshit) by switching to LibreWolf. Highly recommend.
Damon L. Wakes@jargoggles @ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl Same. It's sad to see Firefox itself becoming one of those "Glad I don't have to deal with that nonsense anymore" things.
@DamonWakes @ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl
It feels like the corporations that fund these kinds of projects are all calling in their chits and pushing hostile changes and features.
It feels like the corporations that fund these kinds of projects are all calling in their chits and pushing hostile changes and features.
Dragon-sided D
Janeishly@dragonsidedd @ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl How are you getting LibreWolf to play with extensions? I was using it fine until a couple of weeks back and then it just went "Nope, none of your Firefox extensions are accepted any more" and there is NO WAY I'm using a browser that won't accept adblock. So I'm back on Firefox, but I'd rather not be.
@Janeishly @ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl LW has uBlock origin built in. Have not had an extension issue
@dragonsidedd @ElBeeToots @naught101 @mwl This is the problem - it doesn't seem to have happened to anyone else, so I have no idea what's going on! I'll fire it up again tomorrow and see if it's still happening.
@Janeishly I've checked my extensions in LW and all the ones I use in FF are working in LW as well.
I have set everything exactly the same in both browsers so I can easily switch over if needed. I use my Firefox Account to sync between them and that works as it should, in both Linux Mint and Windows.
What OS are you using and which version of LW is installed?
@ElBeeToots @dragonsidedd @naught101 Windows 11 (Home, if that matters) and LibreWolf 127.0.2-2.
It's a very odd thing - I'd used LW before in the past and it had been fine but had given me other problems (can't now remember what). This time around it behaved beautifully for about three weeks then started doing this nonsense. Maybe I just need to reinstall it?
@Janeishly You could try updating LW, because that is an old version. Perhaps that prevents your add-ons from working. Updates also contain bug fixes and the like.
I'm running LW 136.0.4-1 myself on Win10. FF has just updated to 137, so LW's update to 137 will be released soon as well.
Keep in mind that you will have to update LW manually through the LibreWolf WinUpdater shortcut. Automatic updates or updating through 'Help --> About LibreWolf' do not work.
@ElBeeToots Well that's weird, how have I got such an old version? Anyway, I've reinstalled and have added WinUpdater this time. And so far it seems to work. Now I just need to sort out syncing and I shall be golden! Thanks very much!
@Janeishly You're welcome! 🙂
OK, not adblock, but several other extensions that are a) perfectly normal and b) I really need for my browser to function. This is what it's giving me:
Mitch Rose@naught101 @mwl
in the address bar type:
"about:config" then press enter.
You will see an "accept the risks" warning. Continue.
in the search bar, type:
"browser.ml.chat.enabled"
All the way to the right, you'll see two buttons, click the left one to toggle the true to false if it is not false already.
in the address bar type:
"about:config" then press enter.
You will see an "accept the risks" warning. Continue.
in the search bar, type:
"browser.ml.chat.enabled"
All the way to the right, you'll see two buttons, click the left one to toggle the true to false if it is not false already.
Dr Ro Smith
DrPs𝕐 
Kid Mania
MFennVT has movedSorry I am not an expert. Perhaps you should try updating your browser version?
@mrose Thanks for responding. Firefox actually updated on its own this morning, and everything worked this time. Yay!
Chaotic Catboy
Laurel Stvan
Ozzie D, NP-hard 
@naught101 @mwl Does this do anything besides disable visibility of the sidebar "AI chatbot" tool checkbox (which I'd unchecked the moment I saw it)? What other ML/genAI features exist in Firefox?
David S@ozdreaming @naught101 @mwl There's the genuinely useful offline/local translation feature. Not llm though (thankfully).
jandi@elphez @ozdreaming @naught101 @mwl For reference, translation uses Neural Machine Translation (NMT), here's a great overview: https://hacks.mozilla.org/2022/06/training-efficient-neural-network-models-for-firefox-translations/
Western Infidels@naught101 @mwl There is a checkbox in the "Customize Sidebar" pane that removes the "AI chatbot" button from the sidebar.
The browser.ml.chat.enabled flag does more, I guess. When it's "false," the UI for disabling the chatbot also goes away.
Francesco Lodolo@naught101 @mwl There is, it's right there in the sidebar settings. And, as far as I can tell, there is nothing in menus unless you explicitly open it, and pick one of the providers.
I have no idea why people keep sending folks to about:config for settings that are available in the UI. Maybe to make a point, like "check how hostile they are with users who don't care about feature X" 🤷
Lucy Weir@mwl and you can do something similar for Google? Because it’s incredibly irritating to keep getting incorrect or irrelevant results!
#?.info 
@lucyweirphd @mwl https://tenbluelinks.org/ will help you change your browser search engine to a Google URL that defaults to the "Web" tab, which doesn't include AI results.
But the Web tab doesn't do things like automatically turn UPS/USPS/FedEx tracking numbers into links, or convert temperatures, etc, so it's great, but do be aware some convenience functions no longer works.
Wonder if there's a uBlock Origin rule...
@poundquerydotinfo thanks. I understood about half.
Dave@lucyweirphd @mwl
The magic of removing AI results consists of adding "&udm=14" to the google search query address. Explanation here: https://tedium.co/2024/05/17/google-web-search-make-default/
There is https://udm14.org/, serving as a startpage that adds that parameter.
Same effect is achievable via browser extension: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/udm14/
Julien W.@lucyweirphd yeah, you can switch to another search engine
wildlyfist@mwl Been on Librewolf for a long time and it's already turned off by default. Among other niceties like blocking YT ads.
alvin@mwl dónde habría que escribir eso ??
Jaime Herazo@mwl
Yet again thankful for Librewolf doing all this for me already
Yet again thankful for Librewolf doing all this for me already
Aurin Azadî 
@mwl LibreWolf has it on false by default.
Endy@mwl The fact that this exists at all is disgusting. But at least we can turn it off for now.
Emil Jacobs - Collectifission@mwl Looks like @librewolf already switched this off ❤️
@mwl how to do it for Firefox in Android?
HalJor 
@mwl What about browser.ml.enable? Is that safe/recommended to turn off as well?
Jay Deiman@mwl Thanks for the tip! And for those that have forgotten, like me this morning, enter "about:config" in the address bar to get to the detailed settings.
Radler@mwl thanks for the tipp!
I just checked on firefox 136.0.1 on manjaro linux and the setting was set to true.
I just checked on firefox 136.0.1 on manjaro linux and the setting was set to true.
Roo E.Great tip! Librefox and Waterfox users are chiming in saying it's toggled to 'false' by default. I wonder if that's also the case with Mullvad, have to check it out.
@mwl Michael Lucas's latest tech book is short but effective.
martin lentink 🇪🇺 🇺🇦📎@mwl Done. Thx.
Nevar23@mwl Thank you!
Marcus "MajorLinux" Summers@mwl But where does that go?
uhurutype about:config in address bar, "be careful", search for browser.ml.chat... double-click to switch to false.
CC: @[email protected]
CC: @[email protected]
nixCraft 🐧@mwl just disabled it. Thanks for the heads up.
r0k
Chris Dennis@mwl Google Play lists Firefox with the strapline "Never remember passwords again". I can never remember them already, thank you.
Colin B.🇨🇦@mwl I switched to Waterfox recently. I don't recall setting this config, but it's there already - so maybe it's a default?