Community Forums

Parafango · 09-25-2022, 05:42 PM

I was using Opera for the past year or more and found it to be an easy to navigate browser with some good features, but the banks I use started to put up warnings about the browser I was using, UNTIL,

I was (re) introduced to BRAVE browser. It really does seem to do what it says, blocks tracking cookies and other ads as well as additional privacy! Best of all, the banks and investment houses seem to like it as well.

Anecdotal evidence again, I use the app "Superantispyware" to check for abnormal items (cookies / trojans / PUPs) and spyware in my computer.
When I was using EDGE or CHROME, or FIREFOX and even some Opera to look for things on the internet, Superantispyware would find somewhere around 300 to 500 ( or more) tracking cookies.

I've been using BRAVE for about 3 weeks or more and ran the same computer scan with supreantispyware after more than a weeks use.

This time, there were 3 tracking cookies and they were related to a moment of weakness when I used EDGE.
I've replaced OPERA on all of my machines and made BRAVE the primary browser, including on my phone.

No I don't work for BRAVE or get anything for touting their product.
Give it a try, If you don't like it, delete it.
BTW I'm not a fan of their bookmark import, I haven't figured out how to get the bookmarks and folders to line up in alphabetic order yet.

DutchmenSport · 09-25-2022, 05:58 PM

I've been using Brave with DuckDuckGo for some time now. I do have Edge and Chrome and they are acceptable for some things. But, when I really do not want to get blasted with Ads or tracked with cookies, (or go to one of those naughty web sites ... "heee, heee!" ) I use Brave with DuckDuckGo. According to the web site, it's spared me thousands of Gigs of advertisments and blocked thousands and thousands of tracking cookies for me so far.

It also works very nice, and not getting blown away with ads and pop-up's is wonderful!

mr. ed · 09-25-2022, 06:49 PM

I've used Brave in the past and thought it was very good. I have 3 browsers on my computers now, Edge, Firefox and Vivaldi. I use Vivaldi most often and like it. I find it syncs easier than Brave and, like Brave, it blocks trackers and ads pretty well. I think Firefox is also a fine browser. And I've had no trouble with Microsoft Edge. They each have their strong points IMO.

Danny969 · 09-25-2022, 08:34 PM

I use Brave because it doesn't use Google's search engine and won't block results it doesn't want you to see

Parafango · 09-26-2022, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny969

I use Brave because it doesn't use Google's search engine and won't block results it doesn't want you to see

I agree, not using the google search engine does two things:
1. it provides non sponsored results
2. doesn't feed Bezos with my web analytics

I hadn't hear of Vivaldi, I'll have to investigate further, thanks for the tip.

wfalch · 09-26-2022, 01:58 PM

Another browser I have heard of is Avast any comments on that one?

mr. ed · 09-26-2022, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny969

I use Brave because it doesn't use Google's search engine and won't block results it doesn't want you to see

Most browsers let you select your search engine, other than Google. I've been using Duck Duck Go.

Parafango · 09-26-2022, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. ed

Most browsers let you select your search engine, other than Google. I've been using Duck Duck Go.

While that is true, its the browser that will accept or deny tracking cookies.
The combination of a Browser that blocks ads and tracking cookies and a search engine that is also attempting to filter for those same things, is a good way to see what you searched for, and not be reminded with ads for the same thing you searched for, for the next 3 days.
I also use DuckDuckgo search engine and is seems to work well as you've probably found out.

Danny969 · 09-27-2022, 09:09 AM

Duck was just a search engine until recently. It's now a browser. I stopped using duck as my search engine when they declared they were going to block or de-rank what THEY considered Russian propaganda and disinformation. How do they know what the truth is? And what other stuff will they block depending on how they feel? I'm perfectly capable of determining what is bogus on my own, probably more so than anyone in their company. We just went through this where world renowned scientists, doctors and mRNA experts were blocked by search engines because they didn't go along with the narrative.

tetranz · 09-27-2022, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny969

Duck was just a search engine until recently. It's now a browser. I stopped using duck as my search engine when they declared they were going to block or de-rank what THEY considered Russian propaganda and disinformation. How do they know what the truth is? And what other stuff will they block depending on how they feel? I'm perfectly capable of determining what is bogus on my own, probably more so than anyone in their company. We just went through this where world renowned scientists, doctors and mRNA experts were blocked by search engines because they didn't go along with the narrative.

I think it was just de-ranking. I'm not getting onto the Russia debate here but in general, results need to be ranked by an algorithm. Most people want the most useful results to be near the top. It's impossible to get away from the reality that somebody sets the criteria. Results from known mis-information sources or junk spam type sources should probably have a lower ranking just to reduce the "noise" at the top.

Here's a long debate about it. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30627892. It's a complicated issue with no perfect right or wrong answer.

mr. ed · 09-27-2022, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parafango

I was using Opera for the past year or more and found it to be an easy to navigate browser with some good features, but the banks I use started to put up warnings about the browser I was using, UNTIL,

I was (re) introduced to BRAVE browser. It really does seem to do what it says, blocks tracking cookies and other ads as well as additional privacy! Best of all, the banks and investment houses seem to like it as well.

Anecdotal evidence again, I use the app "Superantispyware" to check for abnormal items (cookies / trojans / PUPs) and spyware in my computer.
When I was using EDGE or CHROME, or FIREFOX and even some Opera to look for things on the internet, Superantispyware would find somewhere around 300 to 500 ( or more) tracking cookies.

I've been using BRAVE for about 3 weeks or more and ran the same computer scan with supreantispyware after more than a weeks use.

This time, there were 3 tracking cookies and they were related to a moment of weakness when I used EDGE.
I've replaced OPERA on all of my machines and made BRAVE the primary browser, including on my phone.

No I don't work for BRAVE or get anything for touting their product.
Give it a try, If you don't like it, delete it.
BTW I'm not a fan of their bookmark import, I haven't figured out how to get the bookmarks and folders to line up in alphabetic order yet.

Good point, Parafango. I remember getting a message from my bank concerning a browser I was using (I forget which browser, but it may have been Safari, only used on my iPad, but I don't remember). I've used Edge, Firefox and Vivaldi extensively for banking, and have never received a warning from any of my 2 banks. One of my banks (Ally Bank) won't allow me to use a VPN, but Bank of America does.