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In this guide, we will share the Best Browsers for Safe and Private Browsing and help you choose a browser that has robust online privacy protection built-in.
Virtually every site on the Internet tracks user behavior to one degree or another. Usually, cookies are used for this purpose – small data blocks that remember your preferences. However, some web resources go even further and do not hesitate to use advertising trackers, third-party cookies, and mechanisms for removing digital profiles.
Third-party cookies are inserted by other companies such as Google, Facebook, or advertising companies. They are used to follow you immediately when you visit different sites, creating a unique profile that can be used to display ads. These cookies even track the location of your device.
Best Browsers for Safe and Private Browsing: Our slection for 2022
Digital fingerprints are a relatively new online privacy threat that allows businesses to recognize your activity data. This can be browser version, type, operating system, time zone, location, plugins, fonts, and more. Digital profiles contain so much data that they can identify one specific user.
What to do about all this? You can also install browser extensions such as Decentraleyes, AdGuard AdBlocker, uBlock Origin, or DuckDuckGo. But the first thing to do is choose a browser that already has robust privacy protection features built-in.
Firefox
Over the years, Firefox has established itself as a privacy-focused alternative to Google Chrome. And every year, Mozilla improves this aspect of the browser. Usually, changing browsers can be very painful for users, but Firefox can be a great starting point.
First, Firefox is a fast and feature-rich browser with its ecosystem of add-ons, extensions, and personalization options. Firefox has a unique feature, “Improved Tracking Protection,” which blocks advertising trackers and social media trackers, cross-site tracking cookies, digital fingerprint collectors. By default, Firefox will only do this in private windows. Go to Settings > Privacy and Protection and switch to Strict protection mode to apply for protection in all browser windows. There is also a separate Personal mode, which allows you to configure the lock in detail.
Brave
Brave is a browser with built-in privacy features. It blocks ad tracking tools, cross-site cookies, and fingerprinting by default. Brave supports an Aggressive protection mode for blocking trackers and ads and a Strict mode for blocking digital fingerprint collectors. Brave is built on the Chromium codebase, which means you’ll be able to install your favorite Chrome extensions in the browser.
Overall, Brave is a high-speed and functional browser. Developers use many non-standard approaches. For example, the browser promotes its cryptocurrency, which is used to pay for websites. The start page also displays information dedicated to cryptocurrency. Fortunately, no one obliges you to use these functions. You can disable them.
You can also read: The Best Bitcoin Wallet for Mac
Safari
If you’re using a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, then Safari is a good starting point when it comes to online privacy. Apple has its own intelligent Tracking Prevention system, which uses machine learning technology to block cross-site tracking. This feature is enabled in the browser by default. The blocking will not be strict because the priority is given to the website’s functionality and not to the privacy blocking. Safari won’t block trackers if it disrupts the site.
Safari also generates a privacy report to know how many trackers have been blocked. Safari’s privacy features aren’t entirely secure and far from aggressive.
Microsoft Edge
Do you like Google Chrome but want a browser with a significant bias towards privacy? Then Microsoft Edge is your choice. Microsoft has done a great job of creating a fast and secure browser based on Chromium.
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Edge comes with a Tracking Protection feature with three locking levels: Basic, Balanced, and Strict. Strict mode blocks most tracking tools from all sites. In this mode, advertisements will be the least personalized. Go to Settings > Privacy, Search & > Tracking Protection and switch to Strict mode.
Microsoft continues to develop other privacy-enhancing features in Edge. The new Super Duper Security Mode allows you to disable the just-in-time compilation of JavaScript, which can be used to retrieve data from web pages in real-time.
DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
If you need a private mobile browser for iPhone or Android, DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Browser is for you.
This is a straightforward and fast browser that blocks the tracking of your activities and forces sites to use encrypted connections. You can increase your privacy level by using the private search engine DuckDuckGo.
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Tor Browser
Want anonymous surfing and complete tracking blocking? Then your choice is Tor Browser. It’s a specialized privacy-focused browser that routes all traffic through various servers around the world, supported by volunteers. This makes Tor Browser a slow browser for everyday use. Still, it has a vast, undeniable plus: the routing and redirection process clears all ad trackers, third-party cookies and even prevents digital fingerprinting and tracking. Tor Browser is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
Tor Browser is amongst the Best Browsers for Safe and Private Browsing.
You can also read: Best Antivirus for Windows 11
Conclusion:
I hope this article on Best Browsers for Safe and Private Browsing was helpful. If you know of better alternatives for Best Browsers for Safe and Private Browsing, please share in the comment section below.
