Different browsers for different surfing behavior: tweaking Opera

[Lenny_Fox]

Hi,

I am using two browsers at the moment and have three browsers installed (Edge chromium being an exact copy of the setup my girlfriend is using on her laptop). I run Google Chrome in its default setting for website content management and online marketing stuff (only using the w3ctech blocklist ). I use Opera for general browsing tweaked for privacy and security. I would like to share my Opera setup for to receive feedback and tips for improvement.

Opera Settings: When I don't mention something I have it disabled or blocked (so NOT on default)

Search Engine
DuckDuckGo

On startup
Begin with fresh startpage
Ask me when Opera is started by a shortcut specifying an URL

Privacy And Security
Send a do not track request
Protect me from malicious sites

WebRTC
Disable non-proxied UDP

Startpage
Hide search box
Hide speed dial

User Interface
Enabled "Disable top bar's spacing when maximized"
Enabled "Delay loading of background tabs"

Languages
English (United States)
Spell check

System
Enabled "Use hardware acceleration"

Site Settings (remember most is blocked or disabled except):

Cookies and site data
- allow sites to set cookies
- delete cookies and data when quitting Opera

Because Javascript is set to blocked
- added allow rule for HTTPS://*

Images (default value)

Sound (default value)

Protected content (default value)

Extra Opera features

VPN
Enabled VPN

Privacy Protection
Block ads ON with Easylist and Adblock Warning Removal
Blocktrackers ON with EasyPrivacy list


Extensions from Opera store

Popup Blocker Strict (to block pesky popups and promotions missed by easylist blocklists)


Flags Enabled

Note: when you set the User Agent to Chromium, Opera also thinks you are using Chromium. So for extension install's etc you have to disable "Chromium UA compatibility".

TWEAKS

Because Opera lacks a delete all history on exit like Brave and Edge, I tried to realize this by making some Opera files read-only. Open explorer and type: %AppData%\Opera Software\Opera Stable Next set these files to read-only with select right click mouse.

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

Check your OP, has duplicated paragraphs.

 

[Lenny_Fox]

@Umbra
Thanks removed duplicate paragraphs.

@Sampei Nihira
I have not included third-party blocking and all sorts of fingerpinting counter measures. Blocking third-party often affects the website functionality and I wanted to share an enhanced setup which still offers full website functionality with low maintenance and high ease of use. As far as I know, most commercial websites don't use those advanced fingerprinting techniques, because mainstream tracking features combined with interest targeting offer sufficient customer identification.

 

[Sampei Nihira]

Only my wife uses Opera on her smart phone and therefore I have no experience with Opera desktop.
But write about using Opera optimized for privacy so some tests are mandatory.
For example what I indicate below:

AudioContext Fingerprint Test Page

and

Font Fingerprinting

Font metrics-based fingerprinting. System fonts enumeration. Font fingerprinting techniques are based on measuring the dimensions of text or individual Unicode glyphs, enumerating fonts and finding rendering differences. This method can create a unique fingerprint that is difficult to spoof or...

browserleaks.com

P.S.
If you want I can insert the Chrome test results into my daughter's PC with W.10.
Not those obtained with my pc because it would be like comparing apples with oranges.

 

[Sampei Nihira]

@Sampei Nihira
I have not included third-party blocking and all sorts of fingerpinting counter measures. Blocking third-party often affects the website functionality and I wanted to share an enhanced setup which still offers full website functionality with low maintenance and high ease of use. As far as I know, most commercial websites don't use those advanced fingerprinting techniques, because mainstream tracking features combined with interest targeting offer sufficient customer identification.
[/QUOTE]

Are you sure?
2 randomly, not in my language:

 

[Lenny_Fox]

@Sampei Nihira

Not sure any more now,

I am working part time as a online marketeer and using the most common tools combined with interest targeting provides sufficient granular (returning) visitor identification. So beats me why those two well known brand use those tracking techniques. Screen, user agent and IP-address et cetera combined with the products you are searching/shopping for provide enough information. Nearly half of the tablet/PC users have an ad-blocker installed, but less than 25 percent of them know of acceptable ads and over 50 percent of the people having installed an ad-blocker think that they don't need to delete their cookies/history anymore (at least according to a recent Dutch survey).

Question: in case you are using an Android phone: what was the last time you reset your build-in Advertising-ID or are you still using?

 

[Sampei Nihira]

You are an unusual user-Linux for not using at least a Firefox-based browser.
And to stay on topic, the new Firefox 72 has this feature enabled by default:

Firefox 72's Enhanced Tracking Protection will now block known fingerprinter scripts by default.

Firefox 72 protects users against fingerprinting by blocking all third-party requests to companies that are known to participate in fingerprinting. This prevents those parties from being able to inspect properties of a user’s device using JavaScript. It also prevents them from receiving information that is revealed through network requests, such as the user’s IP address or the user agent header," Firefox announced in a blog post.

Obviously use the browsers you prefer, but in my opinion you should reevaluate the privacy aspect.
In my country it is almost 7:00 pm, good evening.

 

[Lenny_Fox]

Yes, I am a Manjaro Linux user, guess Manjaro and other rolling release distro users are different from the my-distro-is-better-than-your-distro type of linux user.

Also on Manjaro a happy Chromium and Opera user.

 

[oldschool]

Also on Manjaro a happy Chromium and Opera user.

And Brave is available too.

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

Why do it on Opera? you coiuld use unGoogled Chromium fork.

 

[Handsome Recluse]

You are an unusual user-Linux for not using at least a Firefox-based browser.
And to stay on topic, the new Firefox 72 has this feature enabled by default:

I wouldn't think so. People who have to use Linux for e.g. simulations would use Chrome regardless of OS.

 

[Lenny_Fox]

Why do it on Opera? you coiuld use unGoogled Chromium fork.

Why? no VPN - no media rights plugin - no blank new startpage configuration - no build in ad-blocker- no battery saver (battery is nearly dead on my 10 year old laptop, but with old hardware it helps to use hard disk as little as possible).