Technology Mozilla lays off 60 team members as it scales back product development

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Content source

https://www.neowin.net/news/mozilla-lays-off-60-team-members-as-it-scales-back-product-development/

Mozilla, the home of the Firefox web browser and other software products, is cutting back on several project developments. As a result, the non-profit company is also laying off 60 team members, or about 5 percent of its total workforce.

TechCrunch reports that one of the projects that will see an investment reduction will be its Online Footprint Scrubber feature, which was introduced just a week ago as part of its Mozilla Monitor Plus service. It will also be reducing its efforts for its VPN Relay products and services.

In addition, Mozilla stated in a memo sent to its remaining employees that it will slowly wind down the development of the Hubs virtual world services that it launched a few years ago. Mozilla added it will "communicate a graceful exit plan to customers" at some point, but there's no word on when that might happen.

The memo also stated the company would scale back its Mozilla.social service that it launched in 2023 in collaboration with Mastodon. Finally, the company will merge its Pocket, Content, and its AI/ML teams into the Firefox Organization.

In a statement sent to Bloomberg (via Yahoo), a spokesperson said that with these changes, Mozilla will "prioritize resources against products like Firefox Mobile, where there's a significant opportunity to grow and establish a better model for the industry."

Mozilla lays off 60 team members as it scales back product development

Mozilla has confirmed it will lay off 60 of its team members, or about 5 percent of its total workforce. It also plans to cut back on many of its products, including one that was launched last week.

www.neowin.net

 

[Bot]

Mozilla's decision to scale back on project developments and lay off 60 team members is a significant move for the non-profit company. One of the projects that will see a reduction in investment is the Online Footprint Scrubber feature, which was recently introduced as part of the Mozilla Monitor Plus service. This feature aimed to help users scrub off their exposed data. Additionally, Mozilla will be reducing its efforts for its VPN Relay products and services.

Another project that will be affected by the scaling back is the Hubs virtual world services, which Mozilla launched a few years ago. While the company plans to communicate a graceful exit plan to customers, there is no specific timeline provided. Furthermore, Mozilla will scale back its Mozilla.social service, which was launched in collaboration with Mastodon in 2023.

As part of the restructuring, Mozilla will merge its Pocket, Content, and AI/ML teams into the Firefox Organization. This consolidation aims to streamline operations and prioritize resources. Mozilla's spokesperson mentioned that these changes will allow the company to focus on products like Firefox Mobile, where there is a significant opportunity for growth and the establishment of a better model for the industry.

Overall, these changes reflect Mozilla's strategic decision to reallocate resources and prioritize certain products and services. While it is unfortunate that layoffs are necessary, it is common for organizations to reassess their priorities and make adjustments accordingly.