Ask HN: Is there a browser I can pay for?
Can anyone recommend a browser I can pay for to prevent malicious tracking of my browsing habits? I'm curious if businesses like this exist and whether or not they can be successful.
13 comments
Also you can go to sites like bountysource (dot com) if you want some features fixed/coded/added.
I don't particularly like this answer but: Safari.
It's now back to running (legitimately...) only on Apple's hardware (there was a Windows version in the past, but it's long gone), so you are paying for it -- it's just that the price is rolled into the up-front purchase cost of the hardware.
Apple does seem at least somewhat thinking about privacy as a differentiating feature, and Safari has some explicit anti-tracking features.
Is it the perfect solution: no. But I'm starting to think seriously about using it as my desktop browser.
It's now back to running (legitimately...) only on Apple's hardware (there was a Windows version in the past, but it's long gone), so you are paying for it -- it's just that the price is rolled into the up-front purchase cost of the hardware.
Apple does seem at least somewhat thinking about privacy as a differentiating feature, and Safari has some explicit anti-tracking features.
Is it the perfect solution: no. But I'm starting to think seriously about using it as my desktop browser.
But isn't Safari slow to update/bug fix?
This includes security issues.
My thought is it's hard to choose Safari for their privacy when I have a higher possibility to get hacked due to a new hack that Chrome quickly updated (or didn't have in the first place). I'm sure most have seen them, but referring to these [0, 1, 2].
Even more tangible -- Google warns about visiting sites sometimes, while Safari will gladly let you enter. Isn't that a huge vector?
0: https://www.google.com/search?q=google+warning+thi+site&sour...:
1: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/99020?co=GENIE.Plat...
2: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/45449?hl=en
My thought is it's hard to choose Safari for their privacy when I have a higher possibility to get hacked due to a new hack that Chrome quickly updated (or didn't have in the first place). I'm sure most have seen them, but referring to these [0, 1, 2].
Even more tangible -- Google warns about visiting sites sometimes, while Safari will gladly let you enter. Isn't that a huge vector?
0: https://www.google.com/search?q=google+warning+thi+site&sour...:
1: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/99020?co=GENIE.Plat...
2: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/45449?hl=en
Yes, I said I didn't really like the answer and the slow updates are a big part of that.
The "Google warnings" aspect, I'm pretty ambivalent about. They probably have saved some people some trouble, but on the other hand the gatekeeping power that feature hands to Google doesn't fill be with delight.
The "Google warnings" aspect, I'm pretty ambivalent about. They probably have saved some people some trouble, but on the other hand the gatekeeping power that feature hands to Google doesn't fill be with delight.
I hear ya. You probably know this, but for anyone else reading this, you can continue on to the site they are warning about. So it's not gatekeeping in the sense most people use that word. And anecdotal, but when I've gotten the warning, it was for good reason.
There is - https://ghostbrowser.com/
Not open source though if that matters to you.
Not open source though if that matters to you.
I like the idea. I feel a lot better to pay monthly fee of something like $5 to not worry someone else is keeping me a diary I cannot look.
[deleted]
Brave?
I'd recommend Firefox with a paid VPN instead. PIA is supposed to be good as a VPN (Private Internet Access), I personally use HOXX for free when I need one. NoScript + uBlock Origin + a VPN should leave you nearly 100% secure but if you wanna go full throttle Tor is an option.