Best internet browser for privacy

[SSI01]

Greetings everyone. I just got my machine back from the shop after it developed some problems and I can't recall the internet browser I had on it. It's been wiped off. I got the site's name w/recommendations from SOH some time ago. Is there a spot on the computer that will give you the name of your previous browser? Also, if there isn't - is there one recommended that as far as is known does not market your ID data to other firms?

I'm using Duck Duck Go for searching right now, but want to get away from Firefox if I can.

[hairyspin]

Use someone else’s computer; then you don’t have the problems, they do... If private mode in Firefox doesn’t quite cut it, then perhaps you’re looking for the Tor browser? As favoured on the Dark Web, among other less unsavoury uses.

[wombat666]

TOR if you must, or maybe try Firefox with VPN.
You'll be paying for a decent VPN however.

[p14u2nv]

Or you could try Opera as it comes with it's own VPN that you can easily turn on and off in settings. It's what I switched to a year or so ago. No problems so far.

Not so sure I'd trust Thor though considering what it is usually used for...good luck SSI01

[William Njurmi]

I'm on Brave nowadays.

[blanston12]

I'm on Brave nowadays.

I have read about Brave and heard good thing.

[gman5250]

I'm on Brave, there are some issues with certain YT formats playing but overall it suits my needs.

I'd be very cautious of TOR. The dark web aspect is one thing, but even worse is the AI that are being propagated by the less than scrupulous entities are much more likely to visit you when using that interface. It's hard enough to keep them at bay, why encourage abuse. IMHO

[Sundog]

Thanks for the info, I hadn't heard of Brave before. I've been using Firefox with all types of security plug ins. I'll check Brave out.

[Bjoern]

Firefox, but with very strict security settings and an adblocker. Low profile is enough for me, no need to set hell and money in motion to vanish off the virtual Earth.

[Stefano Zibell]

Tor is secure but way too much if all you want is to browse securely. That's more likely to be used for illegal operations or secret agents, too slow for the average joe. Opera has free unlimited VPN service built in, that's what I'd go with. Or pay monthly for a good VPN service like nordvpn and use whatever you like.

[Desert Rat]

Or you could try Opera as it comes with it's own VPN that you can easily turn on and off in settings. It's what I switched to a year or so ago. No problems so far.

Not so sure I'd trust Thor though considering what it is usually used for...good luck SSI01

Another Opera user here, used it for many many years trouble free.

[SSI01]

Thanks, all - going to give Brave a try. Wife is interested in using on her machine if my trial works OK.

[DonMuskopf]

Try DuckDuckGo, "the search engine that doesn't track you".

FYI

[greenie]

How about 'Start page" ? ..when you get your search results you can either click direct or choose 'anonymous' on your selection - that takes a little longer because it goes through a proxy computer. Quote -- Startpage.com delivers online tools that help you to stay in control of your personal information and protect your online privacy.

[BendyFlyer]

I use Opera as well at home. Did use Firefox and still keep it for some things (music). Gave Google Chrome a go for awhile but noted that using Chrome they load up your system and it was just bloated corporate ware when I got rid of it altogether it had accumulated some half a gig of stuff obviously used to track your preferences etc etc. I was amazed at how fast Opera seemed after the Chrome experience. Opera uses less than 100mb and stays like that. I guess it is what you get used to, as far as I am concerned your on the net using browsers there is no such thing as privacy really. Personally I do not care if they want to track me except I like an adfree and non manipulated or directed search function, Duck a Go Go is good at least the first page is an honest outcome not sponsored Ads.

Here is an interesting experience about so called privacy and security. My corporate employers use Microsoft Explorer as a browser plus Windows O/S and whole bunch of other stuff. They are heavy hitters in the aerospace defence industry. They have supposedly the tightest security etc blocking tracking etc, for example I cannot do a quick check of this forum at work or any sim site because it is always blocked by our servers and any page that is purely an ad will also be blocked. Now a couple of times I have done searches for some technical gear for home. Now I find that ads are placed into the corporate browser when you go on line to other places via google and the ads directly reflect those earlier searches and interest so so much for the corporate security wear and lock outs, it was tracked and filed and obviously records and can distinguish which in house PC my browser is coming from. I call that nailed! Anyway the algos are not that smart and this always gives me a laugh, you would be surprised how many offers from Google advertisers I get for pristine and available now - Lockheed Constellations or I am offered the latest ticketing or up to date safety profile for an airline that went out of business 60 years ago, gotta laugh. Still waiting for that near new Douglas DC-5, I will hot foot it right over to check it out!

[hairyspin]

If you fancy messing with their algorithms, do a search or two for tank fish, knitting and flower arranging. Watch the advert feed get really muddled. Wood turning is great too, thanks wombat for that tip.

[vortex]

Yet another happy Opera user here. I previously used Firefox (still installed as my backup browser) but, after issues with some websites which I traced back to that browser, I changed to Opera. It's noticeably faster than Firefox on my system. The built-in free VPN is surprisingly good and it's easy to stop tracking and block ads.

As I hadn't heard of Brave before, I installed it earlier to compare it to Opera on several sites which can take a long time due to ads and found that it's not any faster. More of an issue is that on some sites (like Forbes.com) it actually blocks parts of the site which are not actually ads, such as the list of popular Forbes articles. As I can't see what it offers me that isn't already done at least as well by Opera, I've uninstalled it.

[Flapsfull]

Hi,

can also highly recommend using firefox in combination with the duckduckgo plugin. Its not the search plugin, but a general privacy plugin, which blocks the usual trackers that run on each site in the background like google
analytics etc.
Also you get a privacy rating for each site from A to F next to adress line in your browser depending on various criteria.

Kind regards,

Oliver

[wombat666]

If you fancy messing with their algorithms, do a search or two for tank fish, knitting and flower arranging. Watch the advert feed get really muddled. Wood turning is great too, thanks wombat for that tip.