Locked out of Firefox sync, formal request to delete personal data best solution?
Hi, it's been a while since I used Firefox and I don't seem to have a way of getting back into Sync with my primary e-mail address since I can't find my backup code. Who do I contact to either get my account deleted so I can start again, or get an account reset option set to my e-mail address? Ultimately none of my devices are logged in, and I cannot find my backup code.
The impression I have so far is that you have to sign in with another e-mail account (which is what I have done now), but this is not the e-mail account I want to use.
If Mozilla are storing my name and contact details for the sign in, would the best route be a formal request for deletion of personal data?
Thanks
Edeziri site na jim.clow
All Replies (7)
Looking at ico.org.uk it looks like I should be able to contact anyone who actually works for Mozilla and request deletion of my data.
Unfortunately it doesn't appear as if there are any actual people that can be contacted to make such a request to. This is a little disturbing from a data protection perspective.
Edeziri site na jim.clow
Ok, so I can edit my accidental duplicate posts, but I can't delete them. Mozilla really doesn't like people having control over their own data lol.
"I lost my two-step authentication device, can’t find recovery codes and don’t have a logged-in device. Can I request to delete my Firefox Account? In this case it is currently not possible to delete your Firefox Account since we don't have a way to verify your identity and ownership of that account. We recommend creating a new Firefox Account to use Firefox Sync and other services that require a Firefox Account."
Seeing as the account username is the email address I don't understand how it can be the case that there is no way to verify identity and ownership if the owner of the account still has access to their e-mail address.
This would seem to be a can of worms if the e-mail address contains the owners name as it means Mozilla are retaining names and contact details without providing end users with any kind of facility for the owner of that data to have it removed.
Percieved legal worms aside, I don't think this current procedural/technical issue is going to help Firefox grow its market share if the primary solution to technical accident/human err requires creating a new e-mail account, as I would expect folks to switch browsers rather than going through the hassle of having another e-mail account to manage. Having servers slowly become account graveyards can't be sustainable.
The e-mail address I've used to create this current Mozilla account isn't one I plan to continue to use, and the only reason I've even made the effort to create it is for the purpose of getting the issue resolved. Someone throw me a bone here, as I really don't want to see the Fire in Firefox become a digital crematorium fire.
Edeziri site na jim.clow
Hi.
This article has a link to the form nessecary for a data subject erasure request under GDPR:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/information-eu-eea-swiss-and-california-users
Seburo said
Hi. This article has a link to the form nessecary for a data subject erasure request under GDPR: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/information-eu-eea-swiss-and-california-users
Thanks Seburo, I'll give that a go :-)
No problem, glad I could help. Please remember that (if making a request under GDPR or the UK equivalent) there is a calender month for you to get a response in.
If you still control the primary email address, doing a password reset will flush the data in the account:
jscher2000 said
If you still control the primary email address, doing a password reset will flush the data in the account: I've lost my Firefox Sync account information - What to do
Hi jscher2000, unfortunately a password reset doesn't reset 2FA, you still need your 2FA codes even with a password reset.