There is no easy way to ensure whether your privacy is protected or not while surfing the web through a browser. Online privacy is at risk especially because of the online advertising methods that are supported by the big companies. Many people, by default, start using Google Chrome as the default browser because of its popularity but there are many better browsers that provide better privacy.
Here is a list of such browsers that tries to provide maximum protection to the privacy of the user.
1. Brave
Brave is a Chromium-based browser. What makes Brave a unique browser is a fact that it by default, blocks fingerprinting, ads and ad trackers. With 50 million monthly active users, it is still far behind the popularity of Chrome. Brave makes it easier for the users to ditch big tech by empowering the users to browse and search privately. For instance, if a user searches for Lottery Sambad on Brave, they will not encounter any Dhankesari or similarly lottery related advertisement through tracking. This is possible because Brave blocks the tracker by default.
The ads and trackers that Brave blocks have other added advantages too. For instance, the web pages load faster, the battery life gets better and further, it is helpful in mobile data savings too. Brave provides full protection against invasive ads, cross-site trackers, cookies, fingerprinting, malware and phishing. It further provides protection against bounce tracking and anonymized network routing. The Brave browser further blocks IP address collection and third-party data storage. All the web pages opened on Brave are updated to secure HTTPS connections by default.
Brave is available in 160 countries across the globe and it is designed on an open-source that ensures that all the bugs are fixed quickly along with fast updates. The Brave browser is completely free for use and is available for desktop, Android and iOS.
2. Firefox Browser
Firefox is another popular browser that takes care of the privacy of the users. Just like Brave, even Firefox blocks the ad trackers which make it possible for the user to browse the internet faster. The ad tracker blocking feature of Firefox is supported by the browser default. In addition to that, it further blocks third-party tracking cookies by default along with autoplay and social trackers blocking.
Firefox browser is available in 90 languages and can be used on Mac, Linux and Windows devices along with Android and iOS devices. Additional ways in which Firefox protects the privacy of its users is by supporting fingerprint blocking, crypto-miner blocking along with providing the users with private browsing mode and individual protections report.
What If Someone Doesn’t Want To Change Their Browser?
It is possible to ensure that your privacy is protected without changing your browser too. DuckDuckGo provides the perfect option for it. DuckDuckGo is a popular search engine that does track the users, annoy them with advertisements and further, it does not store any personal information of the user either. DuckDuck supports tracker blocking, private search and website encryption for almost all the major browsers. It is available both as a privacy browser app and as a privacy browser extension.
Other popular browsers that take care of the privacy of the users are Epic, Tor and Waterfox. The users can further protect their privacy while browsing their default browsers by deleting the saved passwords. The passwords need to be deleted especially if you use the same password for multiple accounts. In addition to that, cookies need to be disabled. It is because even though useful, cookies serve as an invasive tool by allowing tracking data. For protecting your privacy, disable cookies in your browser.
Also, it needs to be noted that by browsing through the private browsing mode of popular browsers, you are not actually protecting your privacy. It is because such modes of popular browsers simply does not store the browser history but still it stores the information of your IP address and therefore, no one is completely hidden even while using the private browser history. To stay safe in the digital world, it is important to maintain digital hygiene. It simply means all your information should not be readily put out for the world to access, keep changing your passwords on a regular basis with other strong passwords and monitor for any suspicious activity online that can affect you.
