Last month, Mozilla removed some Firefox add-ons that allow censorship evasion in Russia. However, it backtracked on this decision after the reactions. Following Russia’s ban on websites and advertisements that provide information about VPNs, Mozilla’s decision was widely criticized by users.

Mozilla Firefox to restore removed anti-censorship add-ons

Mozilla has announced the re-release of five add-ons to protect the free internet experience for users in Russia. These include censorship avoidance tools such as Censor Tracker and Runet Censorship Bypass.

Initially, Mozilla’s decision to remove these add-ons was attributed to regulatory changes in Russia. However, after reactions from users and developers, Mozilla reconsidered its decision and decided to reinstate the add-ons.

“We continue to support our users in Russia and around the world and will continue to advocate for an open and accessible internet for all,” Mozilla said in a statement announcing the change.

Edward Sullivan, the company’s community and developer relations manager, said in a statement addressed to users that add-ons will be made available again and that users should have the freedom to customize and enhance their online experience without restriction.

Russia has restricted access to many popular sites and services in recent years. Sites such as Tor, Telegram, Shutterstock, some Facebook pages and Google News have been affected by Russia’s censorship policy. Mozilla’s decision to restore anti-censorship plugins is intended to facilitate users’ access to internet freedom in this context.

Mozilla’s decision is considered an important step in the fight against censorship. By standing by its users against the regulations in Russia, the company has taken on the role of an open and free internet advocate.

Mozilla’s move has been welcomed not only in Russia but also by proponents of internet freedom around the world. The company says it will continue to protect its users against similar pressures in the future.