From what I recall, it wasn't paid-for either.

> we developed an unpaid collaboration to engage our users and viewers of the show in a new way

Source: https://blog.mozilla.org/firefox/update-looking-glass-add/

It was absolutely the wrong thing to do, but it's not like they stood nothing to gain from it.

Hackers gonna hack. In the “let’s build cool stuff because we can” way.

That was not the only issue

1. Failure to Disclose it before distribution

2. Failure to Properly name or provide any support context to the Add In.

3. Using the "Studies" System designed to improve the technology and advance the web browser for this Adware "Easter egg" not really an Easter egg addin

4. Failure to Publicly Comment about it until a full 72 hours after concerns were raised

5. Deleting and Hiding Bug Reports about the Addin in Bugzilla

6. Failure to adequately respond, apologize, or explain why and how the Studies system was used to distribute this Adware, There blog post so far is woefully inadequate.

7. Failure to disclose what steps are being taken immediately to ensure the Studies system is not abused in this manner in the future

Should I go on? There were many many many failures here, which are compounded by the many other failures Mozilla has had over the last few years.

Debian had to raise a storm over it and turned into a compile-time only option to not get the microphone listening plugin on your chromium install.

But every one of these things seems like legit issues that I'd like to see made an anomaly, and it's conceivable that if Mozilla isn't able to make it crystal clear that they know how to make things go that way, Chrome might well be the right choice.

I support Mozilla on Ideological grounds and it is said they are dropping their Ideology in favor of a pure commercial company.