Web browsers have been flooded with sponsored ads. This means that user privacy is a serious concern no browser takes seriously. Google Chrome is indeed the world’s most popular browser. However, it is laden with serious flaws. Some alternatives are worth using. They take care of user privacy, improve security and help users remain anonymous too.
Data is a crucial component for companies generating wholesome revenues. Online advertising companies use browsing histories from web browsers. Yes, they are not safe from their sights, unfortunately. These companies create shadow user profiles and reveal information, including users’ interests, product searches, and the like. This leads to targeted advertising.
Researchers from leading tech companies conducted numerous studies. Mozilla worked with 52,000 users of Firefox. It revealed that ensuring total privacy online has become very complicated. Google was warned about it. Facebook’s iron grip on online advertising makes re-identification through users’ browsing histories a large-scale privacy problem today.
Privacy protection is important – The search for browsers that protect user privacy
Users looking for privacy-centric browsers should investigate how advertising trackers and cookies or managed. They should also see whether or not those browsers are storing or sharing browsing histories. Does the browser’s developer have a clear privacy policy? That needs to be there too.
Let us now have a look at some of the best internet browsers protecting user privacy with zeal this year:
- Brave.
- Mozilla Firefox.
- The Tor Browser.
- DuckDuckGo.
- Mullvad browser.
- The Ungoogled Chromium Browser.
- Librewolf.
- Waterfox.
- Bromite.
- Pale Moon.
Now it is time to have a good look at the most secure browsers of this year:
Brave
Brave is a fast browser that is not in the traditional online advertisement domain. By default, it focuses on protecting user privacy. It is a challenger to Google Chrome. Yet it still has its issues. It is based on Chrome and blocks third-party ad trackers and cookies. It does have Incognito browsing and Onion routing.
Brave is also known to support fingerprints too. The browser supports millions of users. Its business model is privacy-centric and relies on ads protecting users’ privacy. They pay publishers and users whenever users pay attention to ads. Brave is honest about its revenue stream. It rewards users if they provide consent for ad viewing.
The browser has numerous settings which amplify privacy. It upgrades unsecured connections to HTTPS. It also supports any website hosted on a cheap dedicated hosting server. Intrusive ads and trackers are disabled. This has helped improve website loading speed and time.
Brave also offers a built-in firewall and VPN services protecting sessions inside and outside the browser.
Mozilla Firefox
A good thing about Mozilla Firefox is that it provides enhanced tracking prevention and improved accessibility. Millions of users around the world trust it with their hearts. However, its strict tracking protection might break websites.
Firefox also has a mobile version. It ensures strict privacy standards on all devices and platforms. DNS queries are always sent to a secure resolution service provider. Mozilla is known to have borrowed Tor techniques. This helps block browser fingerprinting. Developers are constantly improving tracking prevention features to guarantee privacy.
Firefox is enriched with options that help customize browser privacy. Its standard tracking prevention blocks the following:
- Social media trackers.
- Cross-site tracking cookies.
- Private window tracking.
- Crypto miners.
- Fingerprinting.
The browser also has a strict mode. This mode can break some sites if trackers are embedded in their content. Yet there are options to allow amplified tracking protection for trusted websites. Mozilla also offers its own VPN. It can help connect up to five devices over 500 servers. This too across more than 30 countries.
Another option Firefox users have is Firefox Focus. It is a privacy-centric browser available only for Android and iOS. An in-built ad blocker is present which blocks trackers nicely. Also, Firefox 113’s release comes as a boost for accessibility. The reason is that they include core upgrades to allow screen readers and other helpful technologies. This provides users with quick access to the content required.
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is another worthwhile browser. It is supported on Firefox, Chrome, and other Chromium-based browsers. The browser promises a solid commitment to providing users with top-notch privacy. However, its full version is not available yet on the desktop.
DuckDuckGo is primarily a privacy-centric search engine. Being a vocal supporter of consumer privacy rights, it not only handles search queries but also brought out its browser. The browser’s rise, coupled with the encrypted messaging app Signal’s rise shows that privacy-focused alternatives are becoming more popular. Tech giants (Facebook and Google) are facing competition.
DuckDuckGo also provides an extension known as Privacy Essentials. It is available for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. It is built in the context that it does not collect users’ data but can provide the same quality of search results as Google. It is also supporting gaming sites that run on the best ARK Dedicated Server.
DuckDuckGo is more of a search engine instead of a complete browser. Yet the software is still recommended as either an extension or a mobile solution. The organization has a mobile app that provides the following key features:
- Private search.
- Website protection.
- Website blockers.
- Web Encryption among a host of many others.
The company is making a Mac-only browser. However, it is in the Beta stage. A closeted beta version for Windows machines is being built. More than that, DuckDuckGo is working on AI-assisted technologies. The objective of such is streamlining and personalizing the search experience.
Tor Browser
Tor browser features Onion routing, integrations of DuckDuckGo, access to websites on the dark web, and a lot of anonymity. Then again it is a worthwhile choice in privacy-centric web browsers. It is known to make users anonymous online seamlessly.
Tor browser is proprietary in terms of technology. It helps disguise a user’s IP address and online activity. It relays them via nodes (a network of servers).
They are run by volunteers. They help keep information moving away from trackers (making them difficult to track). This works if they do not want the ISP or another party checking out their online activity.
Tor is crucial for activists, journalists, whistleblowers, and those who want to avoid censorship. The browser is the number one choice for those wishing to access the dark web. It is a collection of web pages and websites that are inaccessible via traditional search engines. The internet used commonly is known as the clear web.
DuckDuckGo is the default search engine in the Tor browser. It will neither log nor store users’ search queries. Despite being in obscurity, Tor is quite popular among the general public. Those who wish to cover their online footprints favor it over other browsers. It also gets regularly updated by the Tor Project. Developers are currently working on infrastructural upgrades.
However, the Tor browser is not user-friendly. It is also slow. Some websites might not load on it due to the browser’s complex architecture. Yet it helps protect users’ privacy in the best possible manner. The browser has no doubt been considered by many for protecting user privacy in the online world.
Conclusion
Of course, there are many privacy-centric browsers out there. But the ones mentioned here are top-of-the-line. They are worth considering, worth using, and worth everyone’s money. These browsers are proven to safeguard user privacy and have thus earned a solid reputation in cyberspace.
