What Browser Should You Use on Android?
Summary
TLDRIn this tech discussion, the speakers compare various Android browsers, highlighting privacy and security features. They express concerns over DuckDuckGo's use of the Android system viewer and recommend alternatives like Brave, known for its robustness and cross-platform convenience. The conversation also touches on Firefox Focus and its use of Gecko View, which, while separate from Firefox's main engine, still offers a secure browsing experience. The speakers advise users to check out privacytests.org for a comprehensive comparison of Android browsers, emphasizing the importance of staying informed about browser security and privacy.
Takeaways
- 🌐 DuckDuckGo doesn't have a dedicated browser and uses the default Android system viewer, which may not offer the most robust rendering engine for web browsing.
- 🔒 There are more secure browsers with enhanced privacy features compared to DuckDuckGo.
- 🦊 Firefox Focus is suggested as a better alternative to DuckDuckGo, especially considering the Microsoft scandal that impacted trust in DuckDuckGo.
- 🐾 Despite the scandal, DuckDuckGo is still not discouraged as they have addressed the issue.
- 🛡️ Brave is recommended as a go-to browser for Android due to its solid privacy and security features, as well as its cross-platform convenience.
- 🔑 When using Brave, it's advised to log into accounts as your true self for a more personalized experience.
- 📱 For a secondary, disposable browser, Firefox Focus or Chromite (a continuation of Bromite) are suggested, although Bromite is outdated and not recommended.
- 🚫 Bromite is no longer recommended due to being far behind on security updates.
- 🗂️ Tour browser is also an option for a disposable browser on Android.
- 🔍 PrivacyTests.org is a valuable resource for comparing different Android browsers in terms of privacy and security.
Q & A
What is the main concern regarding DuckDuckGo's browser on Android?
-The main concern is that DuckDuckGo uses the built-in Android system browser, which may not have the most robust rendering engine for web browsing and might not offer as many privacy features as other browsers.
Why is Firefox Focus considered a better alternative to DuckDuckGo's browser by some users?
-Firefox Focus is considered a better alternative because it does not have the association with the Microsoft scandal that DuckDuckGo had, and it offers more privacy features.
What happened with DuckDuckGo that led to a loss of trust among some users?
-DuckDuckGo experienced a loss of trust due to a scandal involving Microsoft, which occurred after the Cognito incident. Although DuckDuckGo addressed the issue, it left a lasting impression on user trust.
Why is Brave often recommended as a go-to browser on Android?
-Brave is recommended because it is solid, convenient, cross-platform, and offers a good balance of privacy and security features.
What is the significance of logging into accounts as your true self in Brave browser?
-Logging into accounts as your true self in Brave allows for a more personalized and secure browsing experience, utilizing the browser's privacy features while still maintaining access to personalized content.
What are the recommended disposable browsers for Android according to the transcript?
-The recommended disposable browsers for Android are Firefox Focus and Chromite, although the latter has not been tested by the speaker.
Why should users switch from Bromite to another browser?
-Users should switch from Bromite because it is outdated and no longer receiving security updates, which makes it vulnerable and less secure.
What is Gecko View, and how does it relate to Firefox Focus?
-Gecko View is the rendering engine used by Firefox Focus. It is separate from the engine used in the main Firefox browser. Some users might consider it less secure due to it being less tested and behind in updates compared to the desktop version.
What is the role of privacytests.org in evaluating Android browsers?
-Privacytests.org is a resource that allows users to compare different Android browsers based on their privacy and security features, providing valuable insights into what each browser blocks and what it doesn't.
What is the main focus of the Techlore channel mentioned in the transcript?
-The Techlore channel focuses on digital rights, privacy, security, and how to have a better relationship with technology.
What advice is given for users who want to enhance their privacy and security on Android browsers?
-The advice given is to use browsers like Brave and Firefox Focus, check out privacy tests on privacytests.org, and consider using disposable browsers for secondary activities.
Outlines
🌐 Browser Preferences for Privacy and Security
The speaker discusses their preferences for web browsers, particularly on Android devices. They mention that DuckDuckGo is not their favorite due to its use of the default Android browser, which lacks robust rendering and advanced privacy features. They suggest Firefox Focus as a better alternative, especially considering DuckDuckGo's past privacy scandal. The speaker also recommends Brave as a go-to browser for its security, convenience, and cross-platform compatibility. They advise against using Bromite due to its outdated security updates and suggest alternatives like Firefox Focus or Tor Browser for disposable browsing sessions. The conversation also includes a recommendation to check out privacytests.org for a comparison of different Android browsers' privacy features.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Duck Duck Go
💡Rendering Engine
💡Privacy Features
💡Firefox Focus
💡Brave Browser
💡Cross-Platform
💡Disposable Browser
💡Bromite
💡Chromite
💡Tour Browser
💡Privacy Tests.org
Highlights
DuckDuckGo doesn't have a star as a favorite browser due to its use of the built-in Android system viewer browser.
DuckDuckGo is not as secure or privacy-focused as other browsers with more robust rendering engines.
Firefox Focus is suggested as a better alternative to DuckDuckGo, especially after the Microsoft scandal.
Brave is recommended as a go-to browser on Android for its balance of privacy, security, and convenience.
Brave browser is cross-platform and offers a solid user experience.
For a secondary disposable browser, Firefox Focus or Chromite are suggested options.
Chromite is a continuation of Bromite, which has largely been discontinued.
Bromite is outdated and lacks security updates, so users are advised to switch to alternatives.
Tor browser is also an option for a disposable browser on Android.
PrivacyTests.org is a resource for comparing the privacy features of different Android browsers.
Gecko View, used by Firefox Focus, is separate from the Firefox desktop rendering engine.
There are concerns about Gecko View's security compared to Chromium-based browsers on Android.
No cases of hacking have been reported with Firefox or Firefox Focus on Android.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of privacy and security in browser selection.
The video is a highlight from the main Techlore channel, which focuses on digital rights and privacy.
Transcripts
browsers are always changing duck ducko
I don't think ever had a star as a
favorite browser mainly because uh to my
knowledge it just uses like the buil-in
Android you know system viewer browser
um so it doesn't really have like the
most robust uh rendering engine for your
web browser and there's just more secure
browsers um that have a lot more privacy
features than duck ducko I would say
that Firefox Focus uh in some ways is a
better alternative just because it
didn't have the whole Microsoft Scandal
um which again happened after go and
Cognito so if duck. go was a suggestion
then um that was before that happened
and I still don't discourage duck. go
because they fixed it but I do think
that was a big knock to their trust for
a lot of people myself included um so I
think generally Brave is like one of my
go-to browsers that I recommend on
Android it's just really solid um it's
really convenient it's crossplatform too
so it's a really nice usable browser for
people um and you already said Brave
when you log into accounts as your true
self and that's probably what I would
use brave for as well um as for your
secondary disposable browser um I would
probably be taking a look at either
Firefox Focus or you can use something
like chromite but I haven't tested
chromite myself yet so chromite is a
continuation of bromite um which has
more or less discontinued I don't know
if they formally announced that but it's
wildly out of date um and we still see
it mentioned a lot so if you're somebody
listening to this stream and you're
using bromite just switch to something
else because it's very behind on
security updates at this point in time
and you can also use the tour browser as
well as your disposable browser that's
always an option so those are kind of my
go-to options on Android at the moment
I'll before I continue I'll carry it
over to Jon to see what his browser
options are on Android yeah uh no I
think my advice is pretty similar I
usually uh go with brave on Android for
the most part it seems to be uh the best
option out there for like as far as a
balance of private privacy and security
I guess I have used um Firefox focus in
a while I just looked it up because I
thought that Firefox Focus used the web
view as well like Duck du goed but I
guess they changed that um like six
years ago now so I'm outdate on my
knowledge about that but um they use
gecko view now which is separate from
like what Firefox uses I don't think
that gecko view is as well tested as
Firefox and I know that people don't
like Geto on Android in general so make
it out what you will um some people will
say that it's going to be less secure
than like a chromium based browser on
Android because gecko on Android is far
behind like gecko on desktop for example
when we're talking about like rendering
engine security so something to consider
when you're using Firefox Focus I don't
think that I haven't heard a single case
of anyone being hacked using Firefox or
Firefox focus on Android so I don't
think it's a really realistic threat for
most people so just something to keep in
mind but yeah I think that everything
that you said seems like a pretty solid
plan yeah and I would always recommend
people check out and this was not in go
Incognito cuz this resource came out
afterwards but privacy tests.org is a
wonderful site um that also has an
Android section that allows you to
compare how different Android browsers
stack up against each other so
definitely check out privacy tests.org
and that should give you some other
answers as well in terms of what they
block and what they don't block hey
everybody thanks for watching this
techlore clip this is actually a
highlight from our main Channel techlore
where we talk about digital rights
private
security and how you can have a better
relationship with technology so if you
want the full length experience
definitely check out our main Channel
techlore we'll leave a link somewhere on
the screen wherever editor puts it and
you can probably check it down in the
description as well
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