Which browser do you use and why?

[Blumlein 88]

Brave, Vivaldi (probably my current favorite), and Firefox. On Android phone the same and sometimes Chrome as it is better integrated with Android for some purposes. You cannot get any ad blocker extensions on Chrome on Android. Trying to look at most sites with Chrome I wonder what in the world are they thinking. The ads are so intrusive and positioned so you have to be super dexterous to avoid opening to some other page, do they want me to read their web content or not? With a full screen on a computer they are a terrible irritation, but on a small phone screen it makes most web sites essentially unusable even if I really want to use them.

Because of the unusable nature on the phone I have zero qualms about blocking ads. It is not like you allow an ad or two and they go away for you to use the web page. You close them or open them does not matter as so many websites just keep feeding ads. So if they are going to get any benefit from my visit at all it will be with one of those other browsers that block most ads or I just won't be going there.

 

[EJ3]

I value security and privacy. I've been using Librewolf (a Firefox fork) on my computer for over a year and have been very happy with it so far. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. I currently use Brave Search as my default search engine.

There's also a portable version of Librewolf for Windows that runs from a USB stick. But be careful: if you have saved passwords from websites, someone can have full access to your accounts if they get hold of the stick!

On Android, I use Vanadium from GrapheneOS and Brave Browser.

To make life difficult for my ISP, I use a private DNS.
I'm not currently using a VPN for personal use.

Startpage and/or Brave here, for the same reasons...I do not do any computing of any type unless I am at my desktop, nor do I use a phone for anything other than a phone call or text.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I'm always puzzled why anyone would ever save passwords and why software even allows this.
The whole idea of a password is that is stored/saved in your brain exclusively, and only thing you do with it is type it, real-time.

So many people just cannot keep up with passwords. Letting a browser keep them is safer than using some super simple password for absolutely everything which from my observations is what people who are bad with passwords end up doing. So many seem unable to have one password for fairly meaningless things and one good one for important things. So all things considered they are much better off with multiple passwords saved by a browser than doing it themselves.

Passkeys would be better for many people, but thus far I'm unhappy that those seem to be positioned to create additional vendor lock in at least as much as security improvements. Plus the work arounds if you have more than one device baffle most people as simple as they are.

 

[somebodyelse]

The whole idea of a password is that is stored/saved in your brain exclusively, and only thing you do with it is type it, real-time.

That was fine back when we didn't have so many things needing passwords, and when they didn't need so much entropy to be secure. Now it's a nonstarter if you're not going to reuse passwords, barring the few with exceptional memory. I wouldn't save them in the browser though.

 

[solderdude]

Firefox (Windows, Linux, Android) with all kinds of blockers and configured the way I want it.

Passwords are only saved for websites that have little importance to me (security wise)

 

[Jim Taylor]

So many people just cannot keep up with passwords. Letting a browser keep them is safer than using some super simple password for absolutely everything which from my observations is what people who are bad with passwords end up doing. So many seem unable to have one password for fairly meaningless things and one good one for important things. So all things considered they are much better off with multiple passwords saved by a browser than doing it themselves.

Passkeys would be better for many people, but thus far I'm unhappy that those seem to be positioned to create additional vendor lock in at least as much as security improvements. Plus the work arounds if you have more than one device baffle most people as simple as they are.

Have we met?

 

[ryanosaur]

I shift between Firefox, Safari and DDG depending on mood and topic.

 

[Soniclife]

You cannot get any ad blocker extensions on Chrome on Android.

But you can block ads at a system level using something like Netguard, as long as you don't use the play store version. This can change some apps from an unusable barrage of ads to actually useful, especially apps that don't need internet access.

 

[A Cute Earring]

I use Duck Duck Go with DDG search engine only. I’m hoping it’s a safer choice, but open to suggestions.

 

[Blumlein 88]

But you can block ads at a system level using something like Netguard, as long as you don't use the play store version. This can change some apps from an unusable barrage of ads to actually useful, especially apps that don't need internet access.

Thanks will look into it.

 

[Short38]

Tor: if I am searching power cable, speaker cable, wall outlet and aluminum foil hat vendors. Otherwise I use safari or edge figuring that all my search history (with biometric data) has been intercepted by black helicopters and my isp.

 

[Everett T]

I value security and privacy. I've been using Librewolf (a Firefox fork) on my computer for over a year and have been very happy with it so far. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. I currently use Brave Search as my default search engine.

There's also a portable version of Librewolf for Windows that runs from a USB stick. But be careful: if you have saved passwords from websites, someone can have full access to your accounts if they get hold of the stick!

On Android, I use Vanadium from GrapheneOS and Brave Browser.

To make life difficult for my ISP, I use a private DNS.
I'm not currently using a VPN for personal use.

Primary is Opera, I do use Chrome on occasion but just for certain Mobile syncs.

 

[Somafunk]

I'm always puzzled why anyone would ever save passwords and why software even allows this.
The whole idea of a password is that is stored/saved in your brain exclusively, and only thing you do with it is type it, real-time.

As for the thread question, whatever browser is present on the system I'm using. If I have a choice, then Firefox or Opera.

My passwords are created/saved with the Mac password app which uses facial recognition to open/recognise and fill in my details.

According to the app i have 237 passwords saved, if i could remember each individual password and save it in my brain I imagine I’d be considered a genius and be well on my way to a Nobel prize

 

[Salt]

Firefox with a bunch of blockers, on PC and mobile, if necessary via Tor, if more than necessary within a VM.

 

[Bleib]

Firefox mainly, for add ons and general usability
Secondary is Chrome for some other stuff, but not much

 

[KSTR]

According to the app i have 237 passwords saved, if i could remember each individual password and save it in my brain I imagine I’d be considered a genius and be well on my way to a Nobel prize

The trick is not only trying to memorize the passwords itself, rather find a sort of "secret algorithm" how they are constructed -- that part takes some very explicit care of course. The usual stuff, birth date, pet names etc is of course a no-go. You need to use something that looks almost random and clears password quality checks at least with a "strong" level.

Besides that, constant usage means you will remember stuff, a lot of stuff. My late mother used to memorize street addresses, birth dates, phone numbers etc of several dozen of friends and relatives. And hundreds of kitchen recipes etc.

 

[Blumlein 88]

The trick is not only trying to memorize the passwords itself, rather find a sort of "secret algorithm" how they are constructed -- that part takes some very explicit care of course. The usual stuff, birth date, pet names etc is of course a no-go. You need to use something that looks almost random and clears password quality checks at least with a "strong" level.

Besides that, constant usage means you will remember stuff, a lot of stuff. My late mother used to memorize street addresses, birth dates, phone numbers etc of several dozen of friends and relatives. And hundreds of kitchen recipes etc.

I agree with you and I don't. I use what you describe for my own passwords. I find remembering them not a big deal at all. Most people do. I've spent a lot of time explaining it, showing it and trying to get people to do very simple things I consider inadequate, but far better than the typical birthday, child's name or whatever that password checkers list as cracked in one second. Almost never do you get anywhere. Or even with the simplest of things just one step above nothing you'll find they have no idea what their passwords are. A browser keeping up with them is about 1000 times better than what the majority of people will do. You aren't being real world enough on this.

For those who can, good password hygiene is not that hard. For most it might as well be brain surgery.

 

[Somafunk]

The trick is not only trying to memorize the passwords itself, rather find a sort of "secret algorithm" how they are constructed -- that part takes some very explicit care of course.

Why bother with such faff?, this is the part I don't understand?....especially with hundreds of passwords.

My passwords need a face scan from my iPhone/iPad/iMac, if I want I can also require a text for extra security to confirm it is "genuinely" myself - passwords are automatically generated when needed and contain symbols/upper/lower case/special characters etc, they are shared across all my apple devices, and whenever any are deemed "suspect" due to websites getting hacked etc then I get an immediate warning to change the password in question.

It just "works"....flawlessly....never had an issue/why bother with your special algorithms etc?.

Special/secret algorithms developed for specific recall of hundreds of passwords and the belief that you are more secure than myself, in using Apple's password manager thingy is one step away from declaring yourself a mathematical genius who knows better

 

[JustJones]

Which browser do I use and why?

Chrome, simplicity.

 

[Old_School_Brad]

I figure Google already has all the data they need on me, so I stick with Chrome -armed with three ad blockers. Honestly, I can’t even remember the last time I saw an ad on my PC. As for the sites that block access because I won’t disable my blockers, I just close the tab and look for the info somewhere else.
Speaking of frustrating websites -what on earth happened to my HifiEngine account? I’ve had it for many years, and now it’s just gone, with no way to reach out or file a complaint?
Guess it’s back to Elektrotanya then…

For searches, I use DuckDuckGo.