Is there any way to run unsigned extensions on Firefox Android? If it requires root, that's OK.
Mozilla, formerly a champion of user freedom, now forces users into installing updates by deliberately breaking older versions using their draconian extension signing system.
While this is no big deal on desktop given that source files like userChrome.xml are editable and freedom-respecting alternatives like LibreWolf exist, there are no such possibilities on Android.
Why not just update? Older phones with older versions of Android don't support the newest version of Firefox, so updating isn't always possible. Given that Firefox is the only major browser that has extensions at all and many extensions don't work, this is very bad. Another reason is that bowing down to Mozilla's demands tells Mozilla they can get away with enforcing these draconian measures.
(source)
There was also a certain oopsie in May 2019 where all extensions were accidentally remotely disabled (source: ghacks).
Why not Kiwi Browser? Kiwi Browser is backdoored too (Google can remotely disable extensions) and has inherited mandatory pull-to-refresh from Chrome/Chromium which makes it useless (why this is bad). Mandatory means it can not be turned off. At least Mozilla has the mercy to let users turn that off.
For anyone innterested, here is a petition against add-on signing in Firefox.
Details
Mozilla, formerly a champion of user freedom, now forces users into installing updates by deliberately breaking older versions using their draconian extension signing system.
(source)
While this is no big deal on desktop given that source files like userChrome.xml are editable and freedom-respecting alternatives like LibreWolf exist, there are no such possibilities on Android.
Why not just update? Older phones with older versions of Android don't support the newest version of Firefox, so updating isn't always possible. Given that Firefox is the only major browser that has extensions at all and many extensions don't work, this is very bad. Another reason is that bowing down to Mozilla's demands tells Mozilla they can get away with enforcing these draconian measures.
(source)
There was also a certain oopsie in May 2019 where all extensions were accidentally remotely disabled (source: ghacks).
Alternatives
Why not Kiwi Browser? Kiwi Browser is backdoored too (Google can remotely disable extensions) and has inherited mandatory pull-to-refresh from Chrome/Chromium which makes it useless (why this is bad). Mandatory means it can not be turned off. At least Mozilla has the mercy to let users turn that off.
For anyone innterested, here is a petition against add-on signing in Firefox.
