I really hate to admit how often those darn Pocket recommendations get me! I don't know how they choose what shows up on my tab, but more often than not, there's at least one thing in there I end up reading.
From the Firefox New Tab FAQ (https://help.getpocket.com/article/1142-firefox-new-tab-reco...)
> Are these stories personalized to me? For the most part, no. Most recommendations on your new tab come from a general list of the best of stories on the web.
> Pocket occasionally partners with select publishers and brands to deliver high-quality sponsored stories to our users. These stories will always be clearly marked
> Pocket’s 30+ million global users help guide our curation by pointing us to thought-provoking essays, hidden gems, and fascinating deep-dives from across the web. Editors at Pocket then sift through the most-recommended and most-read stories and handpick the best to share with the wider Pocket and Firefox communities
If they wouldn't be personalized, the answer would be no, instead of "for the most part, no". Lawyer speak.
> Are these stories personalized to me?
> For the most part, no. Most recommendations on your new tab come from a general list of the best of stories on the web. But Pocket is actively exploring ways to deliver personalized recommendations in a way that vigorously protects users’ privacy. Importantly, neither Mozilla nor Pocket ever receives a copy of your browser history. When personalization does occur, recommendations rely on a process of story sorting and filtering that happens locally in your personal copy of Firefox.
Even Windows is putting ads in your face in the operating system itself.
Anyway, personally I've never seen pocket on my firefox. My new tab opens to a blank page. And I love firefox for allowing this degree of customization.