Written by David Nield
Google’s admission that, yes, it does track you while you’re in Chrome’s Incognito mode, is just the latest in a long line of unsettling revelations about how persistently Big Tech monitors our activities every time we connect to the internet. Billions of data records will now be erased as part of a settlement to a class action lawsuit brought against Google.
As previously discussed, Incognito mode and the similar modes provided by other browsers may not be as secure as you may believe, especially if you begin logging into accounts like Google or Facebook. Your actions and searches as a signed-in user on expansive platforms can still be tracked, primarily for creating advertising tailored more precisely to your demographic.
Google, on its side, claims it’s transparent about what data it’s gathering and why—and in recent years it has made it simpler for users to view and eliminate the information retained about them. To truly safeguard your privacy and security, however, it’s best to switch to a browser not developed by a company that generates billions of dollars from selling ads.
And there are alternatives: Below we recommend several browsers built with user privacy and security as a priority. Even better, in many cases they can import data such as bookmarks and passwords from your current browser—Google Chrome, for example.
The DuckDuckGo browser blocks trackers at their source.
You might know DuckDuckGo as the anti-Google search engine, but the parent company has branched out to make its own browsers too. They keep you well protected online and at the same time give you plenty of information about the tracking technologies being proactively blocked.
DuckDuckGo starts by enforcing encrypted HTTPS connections when websites offer them, and gives each page you visit a grade based on how aggressively it’s trying to mine your data. It’ll even scan and rank site privacy policies for you.
When it comes to browsing data, this can be cleared automatically at the end of each session or after a certain period of time. Pop-ups and ads are snuffed out, and of course the DuckDuckGo search engine is built in, free of the Google trappings.
David Kushner
Andy Greenberg
Andy Greenberg
Author: Louise Matsakis
You also get extras like throwaway email aliases you can use in place of your real email address to protect your privacy, and everything about the browser and its features is simple to use: You don’t really need to do anything except install them, so you’re getting maximum protection with minimal effort.
Ghostery comes with a range of tools to protect your privacy.
Install Ghostery on your mobile device or your computer, and straight away it gets to work blocking adverts and tracking cookies that will attempt to keep tabs on what you’re up to on the web. There are no complicated setup screens or configurations to manage.
Like DuckDuckGo, Ghostery informs you about the trackers and ads it blocks, as well as the number of monitoring tools each website employs. If you encounter any well-behaved sites, you can readily designate them as trusted.
Moreover, if you stumble upon a site replete with tracking systems, you can block all cookie technology, irrespective of the site’s functionality issues. Besides, Ghostery incorporates a simple, private search engine as an alternative to Google.
Compared to DuckDuckGo, Ghostery’s tools offer a more extensive and sophisticated range of features. Hence, you might find Ghostery preferable if you want to exert extra control over the blocking of trackers on different sites. Nonetheless, its simplicity ensures its usability by everyone.
Tor provides a connection to the Tor network, enhancing the privacy of your online activities.
Tor Browser markets itself as a browsing option “without tracking, surveillance, or censorship.” It is worth a look if you want the ultimate in anonymized, tracker-free browsing—unless you’re on iOS, where it isn’t available (Tor recommends the Onion Browser instead).
David Kushner
Andy Greenberg
Andy Greenberg
Written by: Louise Matsakis
The browser is part of a larger mission to ensure internet browsing remains anonymous: Using Tor means operating within the Tor Project network. This network consists of a complex, encrypted relay system sustained by the Tor community, thereby making it considerably more challenging for others to track your online activities.
In addition to this added layer of anonymity, the Tor Browser enforces strict limitations on background scripts and the tracking technology that websites can execute. It also inhibits fingerprinting, a technique in which advertisers attempt to identify the unique features of your device.
At the conclusion of each browsing session, all data is eliminated, including cookies left by websites and the browsing history within the Tor Browser application itself. That is to say, private browsing which leaves no trace is the default option and indeed the only option.
Brave provides a smooth, fast browsing experience.
As expected, Brave incorporates all the tracking protection features: Ads are totally blocked, there are stringent limitations on the data websites can collect via cookies and tracking scripts, and you are always updated about the ongoing activities.
This browser has an optional built-in VPN, although it does come with an additional cost ($10 per month). Furthermore, if desired, Brave can be used to access the Tor network mentioned with the Tor browser and leverage its anonymization relay service which conceals your location and browsing data.
There is no question about the efficacy of Brave’s tracker-blocking technologies, and browsing the web with Brave is fast and responsive. It’s a comprehensive offering and one that achieves a well-considered balance between simplicity and potency for the majority of users.
Brave has regularly pioneered features related to innovative web technologies, including cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and (most recently) artificial intelligence; there’s actually a new AI assistant built into it. In other words, it’s not exclusively focused on security and privacy.
Firefox is part of a suite of privacy products from Mozilla.
Firefox has long been at the forefront of online privacy—blocking tracking cookies across sites by default, for example—and it continues to be one of the best options for making sure you’re giving away as little data as possible as you make your way across the web.
David Kushner
Andy Greenberg
Andy Greenberg
Louise Matsakis
Firefox also gives you a ton of information on each website you visit regarding the trackers and cookies that pages have attempted to leave, and which ones Firefox has blocked. Permissions for access to your location and microphone can be easily managed as well.
Aside from safeguarding the interests of its users, Firefox also excels in user customization. The browser’s look and behavior can be altered in numerous ways, and there are functional integrations such as the in-built Pocket tool that saves web stories on your device for later reading.
Firefox’s developer Mozilla provides various extras like a complimentary data-breach monitor that notifies you when your usernames and passwords might have been compromised online, a free email alias system to secure your genuine email address, and a VPN costing $10 per month. Thus, creating a comprehensive bundle for online safety.
Safari has been blocking tracking cookies for a while now.
Apple consistently incorporates privacy technology into Safari with every update on iOS and macOS. This includes requiring user authentication (like a Face ID scan) upon returning to a browsing session. However, Safari is obviously not a browser choice for Android or Windows users.
Safari has long been blocking third-party tracking cookies that attempt to trace your web activity across various sites. It also stops device fingerprinting methods that strive to identify your devices, and reports back on the trackers it has obstructed.
The browser can now also alert you if you attempt to use a weak password on a new website or service, and it can recommend a stronger password if necessary. Recent browser upgrades have included support for logging in with passkeys.
Safari operates in the context of Apple’s dedication to gather as little data about you as possible and to keep most of that data stored locally on your device, rather than on Apple’s servers.
Update: April 6, 2024, 8:30 am: This guide was updated to contain new advice for DuckDuckGo and Ghostery, and to update some descriptions of browser providers’ data collection policies.
