It’s very sad, but many software downloaders/ installers will trick you into installing not only their program, but other programs as well.

You have heard of the fine print in shady contracts, right? Well, some installers you need to look at the itsy bitsy teeny weeny fine print.

You are thinking you are giving the installer permission to install the program you want by using the recommended option. But if you use the Manual Option Instead, you discover all kinds of stuff that you do not even know what it is or what it does.

From now on, everyone needs to Use The Manual Option to put a stop to this.

Note that these programs can also change browser/computer settings.

I did a web search but did not find anything useful. If the add-on's descriptions don't help, disable them.

what we get when we click on "more" on the side of these addons is given below in the screenshots (more info about these addons)

Unfortunately those screenshots won't open ....

Without even knowing it, you may be participating in the SHIELD studies.

Would you please read this article :

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/shield

McCoy said

Unfortunately those screenshots won't open .... Without even knowing it, you may be participating in the SHIELD studies. Would you please read this article : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/shield

I had edited my previous reply, changed the screenshots, maybe thats why those screenshots did not open for you.. can u please check again?

anyways, posting them again..

Now I noticed that while opening firefox after reinstalling again, these addons are not there in the addons tab. Then a popup (from firefox I assume) that tells about some add on features show up in the location marked in the screenshot below.. & when I clicked on that, it took me to the addons tab and these new addons are seen installed there. They get installed only after clicking that popup.. they were not there before.

Benoy said

Now I noticed that while opening firefox after reinstalling again, these addons are not there in the addons tab. Then a popup (from firefox I assume) that tells about some add on features show up in the location marked in the screenshot below.. & when I clicked on that, it took me to the addons tab and these new addons are seen installed there. They get installed only after clicking that popup.. they were not there before.

The icons in your last screenshot are : "page actions", "move to pocket", and "bookmark this page" - nothing to do with the extensions .....

Benoy said

anyways, posting them again..

Have you read the article about SHIELD studies  ?

Would you please type in the address bar about:studies - if you don't want to participate in these studies, you can disable or remove the extensions (they will be anyway), and you can opt out of these studies :

3-bar menu (or Tools) => Options => Privacy & Security => scroll down to 'Firefox Data Collection and Use'.

McCoy said

Benoy said

Now I noticed that while opening firefox after reinstalling again, these addons are not there in the addons tab. Then a popup (from firefox I assume) that tells about some add on features show up in the location marked in the screenshot below.. & when I clicked on that, it took me to the addons tab and these new addons are seen installed there. They get installed only after clicking that popup.. they were not there before.

The icons in your last screenshot are : "page actions", "move to pocket", and "bookmark this page" - nothing to do with the extensions .....

nothing to do with those icons.. I said a a popup came in that location.

McCoy said

Benoy said

anyways, posting them again..

Have you read the article about SHIELD studies  ?

Would you please type in the address bar about:studies - if you don't want to participate in these studies, you can disable or remove the extensions (they will be anyway), and you can opt out of these studies :

3-bar menu (or Tools) => Options => Privacy & Security => scroll down to 'Firefox Data Collection and Use'.

actually I reinstalled firefox again and that popup hasn't shown up till now so those addons are not there.. so is there any need to go to about:studies? will it still show if I'm participating in the SHIELD studies?

Benoy said

nothing to do with those icons.. I said a a popup came in that location.

My apologies .....

What did that pop-up look like  ? I've never seen it, as I have opted out of the studies.

But again : have you read the article I gave you a link to  ? These two extensions are part of the SHIELD studies - again : you can disable or remove them if you want to, and you can opt out of the studies.

I went to about:studies and yes, I was participating in two studies

Benoy said

I went to about:studies and yes, I was participating in two studies

Phew ...... all's well now, right  ?

It is totally up to you if you want to stay in or opt out of course.