Comments on: Mozilla as a socially responsible business

By: Alex Bell

Alex Bell — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:43:12 +0000

[...]This really is a useful website. A really good source of information.[...]

By: Danny George

Danny George — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 05:13:28 +0000

Hey Seth, am a fellow Clevelander as well (recent Shaker Hts grad, currently undertaking phd work at Oxford in England). Great blog, and always good to see a fellow Clevelander doing good in the world. I noticed you wrote that McDonald’s has invested in social responsibility–am curious to know which specific actions you’re referring to. Also, I’ve co-written a proposal w/ a few oxford friends for a “healthy choices menu” at mcdonald’s. The Business as Agent for World Benefit institute at CWRU has offered to help develop it, but I’d love to send it along to you to gather your opinions if you don’t mind. I’m happy to add you as an author to the proposal, which is only 8pgs long. Anyhow, great ot see this work you’re doing,
take care,
Danny

By: nicholas reville

nicholas reville — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:01:52 +0000

Hi seth, I've posted some of my thoughts about this on our blog: right here. Thanks again for writing about these issues, it's really good stuff.

By: Paul Kim

Paul Kim — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:31:24 +0000

Here's the details, via Wikipedia, on the initial backers of The Center for Consumer Freedom: "Alliance Gaming (slot machines), Anheuser-Busch (beer), Bruss Company (steaks and chops), Cargill Processed Meat Products, Davidoff (cigars), Harrah's (casinos), Overhill Farms (frozen foods), Philip Morris, and Standard Meat Company (steaks)."

By: David

David — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:39:20 +0000

I did a year studying Economics at University and for a long time I have maintained that the internet can create a market, close to perfect competition, where buyers have at their fingertips almost perfect information. Unfortunately Microsoft has dominated software, but I think Mozilla succeeds where others fail due to the open nature of its development. Open source software designed by and for the very same community. Where as big companies choose to be socially responsible by giving money to the community, Mozilla seems to support the development of the community itself.

By: Paul Kim

Paul Kim — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 23:48:04 +0000

@John David Galt: so http://www.activistcash.com is backed by an organization called The Center for Consumer Freedom, which self-describes as “a nonprofit coalition of restaurants, food companies, and consumers working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.” If you’re going to promote a site, why not disclose fully who’s behind it?

By: John David Galt

John David Galt — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:20:38 +0000

That’s reassuring — except that “promoting social change” usually means something I would call political. (Or worse — see http://www.activistcash.com for a list of “environmental charities” that actually raise funds for terrorists.)

By: seth bindernagel

seth bindernagel — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:10:41 +0000

Great point, and, no…nothing political. In fact, political contributions can often be the one aspect that will disqualify an organization from being socially responsible.

Please note, Mozilla makes no political contributions and has no intention to do so. It’s not part of our mission or the Mozilla Manifesto.

For other examples, see http://www.ashoka.org, a global leader in identifying social entrepreneurs. Ashoka will not accept any funding from governments because they feel that the winds of political change can cause very detrimental outcomes in their effort to effect social change.

By: John David Galt

John David Galt — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:38:41 +0000

Please explain exactly what is meant by “socially responsible.” If Mozilla or anybody else is contributing to political causes I oppose, I want to know about that before I contribute to them.

By: Frank Hecker

Frank Hecker — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:11:09 +0000

Good post, I'm looking forward to more from you on this. Note that back in December 2006 I posted on a related topic, namely Firefox as a socially responsible product.