So it turns out, Brave web browser is evil.
https://www.spacebar.news/stop-using-brave-browser/
Allegedly far-right owner, multiple dodgy crypto schemes, skimming URLs to add its own affiliate links whilst blocking third-party ones because "privacy," etc etc.
If those claims are substantiated (and they do sound credible). Then I think that just highlights the futility of consumer choice to defend privacy, we are desperate for real laws that protect our online privacy and identity, the free market will not come to our rescue.
If those claims are substantiated (and they do sound credible). Then I think that just highlights the futility of consumer choice to defend privacy, we are desperate for real laws that protect our online privacy and identity, the free market will not come to our rescue.
I think to an extent theres a fetishisation of 'privacy' amongst a certain strain of conspiracy minded consumer that makes them very easy to target. If I was seeking to propagate conspiracy theories or make money from the people who readily consume them then I'd see internet users who do the most to lock down their data, seek to present the blankest profile, all in the aim of preventing 'them' from knowing anything about you as the easiest meat.
There have been whispers for a while. I've dumped it. Firefox are not exactly keeping up the privacy promises either
Firefox are not exactly keeping up the privacy promises either
Brave has been dodgy for years. Firefox's recent moves as well as googles wrecking of proper adblockers is more concerning though.
Got to say I’m another one who heard about this awhile ago.
I've been a die hard Firefox user for long as I can remember... As a Desktop browser at least.
What I'm hearing 'does not spark joy'.
A web browser should be a tool that works for you, and you shouldn't have worry about data mining and other bs.
So, what's the alternative?
Still seems the lesser of various evils - a $1000 donation to a dodgy cause years ago and some backing from Peter Thiel are hardly unusual (Thiel has his tentacles in a LOT of tech/startup businesses)...
So, what's the alternative?
Still seems the lesser of various evils - a $1000 donation to a dodgy cause years ago and some backing from Peter Thiel are hardly unusual (Thiel has his tentacles in a LOT of tech/startup businesses)...
Indeed.
Brave does what I want it to do (be fast and block ads without any faff) and not only that, it throws a few BAT to STW when I use it to browse this site (or it used to, I haven't checked recently).
If you only want to use tech that has no connections to any scumbags I'm not even sure what that would look like. Build your own browser and severely limit what websites and services you use?
I always thought the name sounded dodgy, compounded by the fact the first person I heard about it from was a massive bellend.
Even ducking duck duck duck go go go has ai bloody chat ffs.
So, what's the alternative?
I honestly dont know.. I have firefox configured so it basically nukes it's self when I close the browser down, so when I open it again it's like a virgin browser - but it's a it of a pain as it means I have to log into websites every time from credentials that are already saved in firefox, so I'm not sure how effective that is.
I'm currenty transitioning from windows to linux as my daily driver, I'm dual booting with Nobara at the moment, but I still find myself booting into windows as I'm just so familiar with it.
So, what's the alternative?
I am starting to look at the various forks done by more paranoid types, maybe mullvad browser.
Downside is they will be behind on features since they need to review before including.
So, what's the alternative?
Get a Mac
I think to an extent theres a fetishisation of 'privacy' amongst a certain strain of conspiracy minded consumer that makes them very easy to target.
it is/was exclusively used by conspiracy-theory nutters!
Never used Brave. Liked Opera but it's not what it used to be since it became a re-skinded Chrome. A few updates back it started to really hammer memory with multiple tabs open!
Anyway Vivaldi is a browser made by some of the original Opera team. Seems pretty decent I might fully switch to it.
I use Brave, along with DuckDuckGo, Firefox, Safari, Opera and I have Arc installed but I haven’t used it yet. As far as AI is concerned, the only one I’ve actually used is Perplexity, for information.
Go digging around into the background of every search and browser developer, and I’m pretty damned sure that very very few, if any, are squeaky clean and pure as the driven snow.
I was using Tor but it kept blocking so many things it’s unusable for general purposes. I have Cloudflare’s VPN running all the time, and TBH, there’s limits to how much I can be bothered to really care, for my internet usage.
Who shuts down? I just close the lid and walk away
