I want to switch to a more privacy focused browser, would like to hear what yall use currently and why.
Edit: I’m currently using edge.
Edit: Thanks everyone for your input. I have decided to go with floorp (a firefox fork) with betterfox. Here’s my decision process,
- Firefox based browser
- To help with browser monopoly
- I really like the sidebery extension
- I chose floorp instead of ff or other ff forks because of the ease of customization
- I also tried zen browser but experienced a bug just from my short usage so I think it’s not mature enough for me currently, but I do like the project.
- Betterfox + extensions for better privacy settings
- Ublock Origin
- ClearURLs
- Decentraleyes
Did not choose to go with LibreWolf, Mullvad etc because I’m worried about site breakages.
Use more than one.
On PC, my daily driver is Firefox Developer, patched with my CSS along with Betterfox for enhanced privacy over ArkenFox. I am an Admin and run a number of sites, so this helps.
Librewolf as general backup. Mullvad as second backup but I find that I am not the best use case for it, on top that I use different VPN services. It is for non-tech users, is not bad, just not the best tool for me but it is what I will tell people to use when using my PC since the other two have very UI minimal, heavy keyboard-centric setups. Tor for when I need more privacy/testing. Keep a copy of ungoogled Chromiu, mostly vanilla, only uBlock, again for testing and the off-chance fuzzy site but barely ever use it. They all, aside UG, sync bookmarks via Nextcloud instance so I do not need to sign into FF sync.
On Android, Mull, or CookieWeb Preview because the excellent extension management due to their pop-up window. Great for things like uBlock on medium mode, otherwise medium mode on mobile is a pajn to use, on Mull I keep it on Easy mode. Nevertheless, uBlock is a must in today’s internet. Tor for when travelling abroad and do not need to sign-on to anything. Keeping extensions to a minimum. Each browser connects to different DNS services to minimise overlap, along rotating VPN servers from non-5 eyes countries as the minimum. Sounds like a lot but once you set it up, it is mostly set-and-forget.
Betterfox isnt more private/secure than Arkenfox. Betterfox is actually softer in its security and privacy approach. Its goal is to cause the least site breakage, which means more data leakage and softer defaults. Not a bad thing, just not true about Betterfox.
Fair. should have been more clear. I use Betterfox with my own tweaks, essentially a mix of AK and BF. Since BF is just based off AK. The AK maintainer has stated in the past that he just steals it off him. However and as you said, when jumping to site to site, AK is more likely to break things, which requires a bit more troubleshooting. Which I do not need for work since I know most of the sites I will be on. So outright privacy is not the primary goal there.
I used BF and tweaked upwards, rather than to undo AK settings. It’s just less of a hassle.If I want AK, I use LIbrewolf since it already uses a lot of Arkenfox, along with my own tweaks for personal use, where I take privacy more seriously. Each browser has different uses.
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That’s not very hexbear of you
In descending order of good privacy:
- Tor (not necessary for the majority of use-cases)
- Hardened Firefox (you can find tutorials for this with a quick Google)
- Mullvad
- Librewolf
- Brave (yes there’s controversy about crypto and the founder being a dick, it’s still miles better than Chrome)
- Everything else
- Chrome itself (seriously, don’t use Chrome)
My number 1 recommended plugin for privacy and getting rid of ads is always ✨ uBlock Origin ✨ (not uBlock, that’s not the one by the OG dev).
Zen Browser since last week. Is a Firefox fork.
Does it have a mobile version with sync?
It works with firefox sync so you can use firefox mobile and sync with it
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Librewolf for anything that does work, Brave for anything that works only on Chromium based, and Mullvad for all the crazy.
On Android it’s Mull and Mulch.
Does either Librewolf or Mullvad have a mobile version with sync?
Most Firefox forks can use Firefox sync but that also has privacy implications
In all honesty, I am not sure if you can sync, but I think I’ve seen librewolf and Mull being able to sign in to a Firefox account. I don’t sync anything unless I self-host, so I have my linkwarden for all my bookmarks needs.
I’ve heard of a self-hosted alternative to Firefox accounts, but I would need to research that a bit.
It can sync, most if not all Firefox based browsers can sync
Use Mull (made by the DivestOS developer) on mobile. It is available through the dev’s f-droid repo. It is hardened Firefox mobile similar to Librewolf and supports sync because it is a Firefox mobile fork. It is also fully open source and doesnt come with proprietary dependencies (unlike standard Firefox mobile)
Instead of Mulch I would recommend Cromite. It is fully open source (free of proprietary dependencies unlike Brave and Mulch), has anti-fingerprinting (unlike Mulch), and has built-in ad-blocking. Browser comparison table made by the Developer of Mulch: https://divestos.org/pages/browsers
They use Adblock Plus though. Would not recommend.
You can install uBlock origin lite and the adblock plus engine is segregated by cromite
I was not able to install any extensions on Cromite, how did you manage it?
Sry, I should have mentioned I meant Cromite on desktop.
I use Vanadium for that level.
Vanadium does not provide adblocking/content-block, comes with proprietary dependencies, and provides no fingerprinting protection.
I second librewolf
firefox on desktop: to keep away a browser monopoly for another day.
iceraven on mobile: more extensions.
On Mobile I use Firefox Nightly but it is a pain. It crashes all the god damn time. I don’t know how y’all do it, Mull is the same thing because of the upstream. I sometimes consider using Vanadium but I ain’t pissed enough yet, I think.
On Desktop, Librewolf for mostly everything that I can manage work with it, what doesn’t I open whatever other browser that’s available.
Why would you expect the nightly not to crash? Its called “nightly”
Mull on mobile, mullvad and Firefox on desktop
Librewolf on desktop, Brave on mobile.
How do you keep sync of bookmarks and session?
Librewolf + uBlock Origin on desktop. Mull + uBlock Origin on mobile.
This. Thread can be closed
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i use hardened firefox but i also use vivaldi when i need to use chromium for whatever reason
Never heard of ladybird looks interesting thanks
The founder of Ladybird said some questionable stuff that he walked back. You be the judge: https://text.tchncs.de/latenightblog/ladybird-browser-and-drama
There is absolutely nothing questionable about what he said, that article you linked just says they tried to dig up dirt on him and what they found was ridiculously unscandalous
I linked an article with commentary, yes. When I read the original comment myself I was very put off by the tone/apparent attitude toward the subject. I still think it was an innocuous change they could have merged – I would’ve. I think the author of Ladybird is probably not a misogynist, but to be so blunt and dismissive on that PR was a questionable look IMO.
He’s probably a nice guy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I swear this question comes up everyday in Lemmy 😅.
Firefox, I just use Firefox because, it works, it has enough privacy measures, and everyone is looking at the codebase, something that cannot be said about most (if not all) forks.
Please stop recommending vanilla Firefox. Although you could argue that it is less privacy invasive than Chrome, Edge or at leat fucking Opera, it still invades your privacy WITH DEFAULT SETTINGS. For a solid out-of-the-box Browser you can choose:
- LibreWolf (Firefox fork that’s just plain good)
- Mullvad (based on Firefox and created in collaboration with Tor Browser devs - if paired with VPN (e.g. Mullvad) anonymity can be archived)
- Tor Browser (anonymity can be archived)
I’m sorry but I won’t bother switching to a ultra-minor browser for having to toggle something in the settings once every 2 years after 500 articles pop up about it.
Any issue with websites breaking? Since sites only care about chromium support nowadays
Not op, but I’ve yet to encounter a website that doesn’t work with Firefox. (In the last 5 years)
I have been encountering it more lately, but that’s because of the types of sites I was using.
The ones that may not work tend to be; banking (usually okay though), work-related (ranging from applications to gig work to job specific), and then if you happen to run into something that requires chromium as a way to function, such as some specific extensions or most functional web music creation tools, like MIDI support.
B-b-b-buuuuut I only use Firefox and all my stock and banking sites work fine on FF, those job sites that needed chromium can get by with Edge, and if you’re using web browsers for MIDI tools, really, what are you doing?
there are plenty, you just don’t happen to use them
Technically true
.
The pay bill button on my capital one CC account doesn’t work on Firefox. Once a month I have to use a chromium based browser.
My car insurance does not work on Firefox. Bungie website does not work half the time. Maybe some others I can’t think of. It really sucks. I just have chrome installed for when something breaks really sucks.
The only broken thing is very specific stuff like Slack calls. In fact, it’s the only broken thing I’ve seen in a long while. Also fuck Slack.
I’ve had a couple sites break but idk if that’s because of Firefox or because of my privacy add ons.
Domino’s pizza website is super flakey on Firefox (on mobile) but it will work if you refresh enough times
Vast majority of sites work for me (librewolf), but for the few that don’t I also have Vivaldi installed
valid question, idk why would people downvote it
broken websites on desktop are rare and not nearly enough to drive a browser change, but they usually fall into two categories:
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websites that “break” on purpose for no good reason when they detect it’s not chromium. Either avoid the site or change the user agent.
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websites that degrade some functionalities because they rely on newer features or on how things appear on chromium. They’re usually CSS breakages and do not affect browsing that much.
Support for manifest v2 greatly outweighs these potential issues imo.
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I haven’t really had any problems with any sites yet. Except for Google Meet. For some reason it’s totally laggy and sluggish on Firefox but works perfectly on Chrome.
Currently using Firefox since half a year for everyday stuff and work.
I use Firefox, and have Brave installed incase I encounter a site that breaks. I havent had to use Brave yet because I never encountered any sites that break …
Zen Browser, love the split view feature, and native vertical tabs !
It’s a Firefox fork btw
