Mozilla wants to let users find new content with Context Graph

Mozilla is developing a system where users can find new content based on the ‘context’ in which they search. To this end, the company is setting up a system called the ‘Context Graph’, which combines its own browsing activity with that of others.

Through a combination of factors, the Context Graph should help people find new content on the web, based on the context in which they navigate web pages. Developer Nick Nguyen explains in an extensive Medium post what the ideas are around the Context Graph.

Mozilla provides an example of how Context Graph works on its wiki with a YouTube video. There are a lot of web pages in the example linking to that single video, but there is no way to get to the pages that link to the video itself. With a network of links, according to the developers, a better recommendation system can be made.

As a foretaste, a first Context Graph function has been developed called Activity Stream. The function can be activated on Firefox as a Test Pilot experiment. Activity Stream is like browser history, but set up in a different way. It is similar to tiles with additional information about certain websites visited, screenshots, downloads, closed browsing sessions, notifications and improved search results.

Mozilla is trying to keep up with the project with the project and believes there is no need to trade privacy for discovering contextual recommendations. The developers want to show that it is possible to create such a product without violating a user’s trust and privacy.

The system is intended for both the desktop and mobile browsers. Mozilla sees many advantages especially with the latter because it would make a difference to ‘typing on a small screen’.

Mozilla Activity Stream in Firefox