Tech Expert Concluded Google Chrome Browser Operates A Lot Like Spy Software

Many consumers still use web browsers. Which are better for your online privacy? You may be interested in this analysis by a tech expert:

"... I've been investigating the secret life of my data, running experiments to see what technology really gets up to under the cover of privacy policies that nobody reads... My tests of Chrome vs. Firefox [browsers] unearthed a personal data caper of absurd proportions. In a week of Web surfing on my desktop, I discovered 11,189 requests for tracker "cookies" that Chrome would have ushered right onto my computer but were automatically blocked by Firefox... Chrome welcomed trackers even at websites you would think would be private. I watched Aetna and the Federal Student Aid website set cookies for Facebook and Google. They surreptitiously told the data giants every time I pulled up the insurance and loan service's log-in pages."

"And that's not the half of it. Look in the upper right corner of your Chrome browser. See a picture or a name in the circle? If so, you're logged in to the browser, and Google might be tapping into your Web activity to target ads. Don't recall signing in? I didn't, either. Chrome recently started doing that automatically when you use Gmail... I felt hoodwinked when Google quietly began signing Gmail users into Chrome last fall. Google says the Chrome shift didn't cause anybody's browsing history to be "synced" unless they specifically opted in — but I found mine was being sent to Google and don't recall ever asking for extra surveillance..."

Also:

"Google's product managers told me in an interview that Chrome prioritizes privacy choices and controls, and they're working on new ones for cookies. But they also said they have to get the right balance with a "healthy Web ecosystem" (read: ad business). Firefox's product managers told me they don't see privacy as an "option" relegated to controls. They've launched a war on surveillance, starting last month with "enhanced tracking protection" that blocks nosy cookies by default on new Firefox installations..."

This tech expert concluded:

"It turns out, having the world's biggest advertising company make the most popular Web browser was about as smart as letting kids run a candy shop. It made me decide to ditch Chrome for a new version of nonprofit Mozilla's Firefox, which has default privacy protections. Switching involved less inconvenience than you might imagine."

Regular readers of this blog are aware of how Google tracks consumers online purchases, the worst mobile apps for privacy, and privacy alternatives such the Brave web browser, the DuckDuckGo search engine, virtual private network (VPN) software, and more. Yes, you can use the Firefox browser on your Apple iPhone. I do.

Me? I've used the Firefox browser since about 2010 on my (Windows) laptop, and the DuckDuckGo search engine since 2013. I stopped using Bing, Yahoo, and Google search engines in 2013. While Firefox installs with Google as the default search engine, you can easily switch it to DuckDuckGo. I did. I am very happy with the results.

Which web browser and search engine do you use? What do you do to protect your online privacy?