google chrome is dead brave browser switch alternative privacy

Like many people, I have been an avid user of Google Chrome since it came out in 2008. The Google Chrome web browser is currently the most popular browser in the world as it occupies about 67% of the market as of October 2019 so it's damn popular. Regardless of what the statistics say, I am now officially declaring the Google Chrome Browser to be DEAD... here's why.

Why I Won't Use Google Chrome Anymore

They want all your data.

Let me clarify this a bit. Google makes solid products, but like most companies these days they make a profit on these "free" products by collecting data about you. They use that data to find more ways to sell you things online, or they just straight up sell the data to other companies. You gave them permission to do this don't you remember?!?

Well you probably don't cause it's always burried in the middle of a very long 10pt font terms & condition agreement that you had to check a box for when you first signed up.

This goes for Google Maps on your phone (location data), Google Chrome (browsing data) and just about any other Google service.

User data is big business and there is SO much of it out there that companies like Google probably know you and your habits better than you do...

Don't worry, there are BETTER solutions out there now. Enter in the Brave Browser!

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Brave Browser To The Rescue

Brave has been out for a few years now, but it has really picked up traction in the last year or so as one of the best browsers out there that is focused on user privacy.

Brave is a Chromium-based browser, just like the well-known Opera browser. So, if you already are acquainted with Chrome, then using Brave will be easy since both resemble each other.

Not only does Brave NOT collect your user data to then later resell or use against you, but they also over a significant amount of additional features over Chrome.

One such feature is the HTTPS Everywhere. If you visit a site that is not HTTPS secure, this built in feature allows you to access websites through an encrypted connection.

Brave Shield: Cookies and Tracking Blocker

As you move around the internet, just about every site these days is "tracking" you. The amount of data they can track without your consent is MASSIVE!

The Brave Shield basically blocks all cross-site cookies, scripts, and ads cross-site trackers. On Google Chrome you would first need to even know this is an issue, then you have to find a 3rd party extension and download it to get the same security; Brave has this built in from the start!

Powerful Protections

Fingerprinting protections are also built-in in Brave. Meaning, data firms and advertisers cannot use your computer's unique web-based characteristics such as browser window size, screen size, and fonts installed to track you as you carry out your activities.

Besides providing a built-in script blocking, third-party cookies are by default blocked by the browser.

"Incognito" window

So far the best feature found in Brave is actually its private browsing mode. Most people have, for long, assumed that Chrome's "Incognito" window doesn't store private information or your web activity from your ISP or the websites that you might visit. The truth is that this mode only blocks browsing activity traces so that it doesn't remain on the browser.

Other browsers can prevent someone from tracking your browsing locally and seeing what you have done once the person physically accesses your computer. But, they cannot guarantee you that you will remain safe once packets of information leave your computer. Using Brave's private browsing mode solves all these issues, but you can step it up even further with the magic of TOR!

TOR Integration

The private browsing mode that Brave utilizes is very different and much more effective than Chrome, but using Brave's integrated TOR private browsing kicks it up a notch. This is made possible by the TOR onion-routing network which is an alternative privacy window. Therefore, prying eyes will not be able to access the websites you are visiting.

TOR software capability uses a middleman server to run your internet activity and forward your request to its intended destination, thereby helping mask your IP address. With that, it would become virtually impossible to know whether the request originated from your computer.

Using TOR to keep your sessions effectively private makes Brave the most reliable private browser. For you to gain the same experience in Chrome, you'll need to install yet more extensions.

Brave Rewards Pays YOU

If all these mega-privacy focused features were not enough, Brave also blocks annoying ads across all websites by default. Not that you are surfing "ad free", you can turn on the Brave Rewards ad feature and receive totally OPTIONAL certified ads from Brave that allow you to earn money by clicking on them.

Brave has essentially turned the internet advertising model upside down and shares revenue from it's built in ad network with the user, if they choose to participate. So the browser blocks ads that are tracking you across multiple sites then offers you the option of clicking on their ads where you earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) for each ad that you click on.

You an change the frequency when the ads popup in the browser to maximize your BAT earnings or opt out of it completely.

To date, I have been earning about 20 BAT tokens a month by casually opting into their Brave Rewards ad network. That has been roughly $5 worth of cryptocurrency each month!

That may not seem like a lot, but using Google Chrome you get absolutely nothing from sites "stealing" your data and making money off of selling.

Pay It Forward With Brave

What do I do with my BAT that I earn through Brave Rewards you might ask? Do I hodl? Do I cash out?

Neither.

I pay it forward. The Brave Rewards system also allows you to send tips to content creators, like myself, on a monthly basis that correlates to how much time you spent on their site. All the content creator has to do is be a verified Brave Publisher, which is easy to do and free to sign up.

Anytime some one has Brave Rewards turned on and visits a Brave Publishers verified site the content creator get a small portion of the monthly allocation I have set. I have mine set to auto-contribute 15 BAT a month to the sites that I support. Sites like my favorite Youtube creators, or places like CoinGecko for all my crypto market stats.

Its a great way to directly support those that you respect and enjoy getting content from.

Ready To Ditch Chrome & Get Brave?

I know it's hard to make a major change in your internet routine, but Google Chrome is dead! Get over it and move on to a better, more secure solution with Brave.

Besides, Mozilla's co-founder and Javascript's creator Brendan Eich is the one the cofounders of Brave. This gives you just one more great reason as to why you need to try out the Brave browser.

Ready to give Brave a try? I would appreciate you using my affiliate link here to download Brave Browser Don't forget to support my channel with those Brave Rewards too!

Until next time...

'Stache That Crypto Friends!

Posted from my blog: https://www.cryptostache.com/2020/03/04/google-chrome-browser-is-dead-long-live-brave-browser/