Advice Request On a Google developed OS, does it has any sense to install a different browser?

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Lenny_Fox

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Considering that i can add an incognito chrome app shortcut to my starpage and reduce data tracking as much as possible by checking all options and features of Chrome for privacy related issues and adding a more privacy respecting search engine?

I know I will still be providing Google with data because Android, like Windows and iOS will still send "telemetry" data to their makers.

Point is that when using another browser, this browser wont be able to prevent the underlaying OS from phoning home.
 
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ForgottenSeer 85179

@security123

When you mention attack surface increase as a privacy/security concern, what is your opinion on the low update cycle of Bromite?
I don't use Bromite as I run GrapheneOS with internal Vanadium. But Bromite is best for non-GrapheneOS Android's.

Would the increase vulnability risk of low updates be higher than adding extensions?
I don't know how fast Bromite get updates but it's harden against many stuff so it's more secure even if it's not up2date with upstream.
I would say the risk is less then adding extensions are they mostly not up2date nor build with security in mind.
 

Brahman

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Talking control of your data is getting difficult day by day. Snooping eyes are everywhere, from tracking cookies to dns profiling. But you can reduce your data footprint given to these spying companies firstly by avoiding the use of built-in operating system- ie you can install Graphene OS if your Android phone support it- thus de-google yourself.
Secondly by having your own dns cache server on a raspberry Pi ( pihole or Adguard home) which can stripe the tracking websites, cookies, etc from the webpages you visit. If you don't want to spend money on raspberry Pi you can alternatively try nextdns ( pihole as a service) which is super easy to configure on any device, the only drawback being the " trust" element. With a pihole on raspberry Pi the dns data remain in your hand with nextdns it's with their servers. Use of these kinds of dns over TLS or doh reduces snooping eyes from your ISP.
Thirdly by actively masking your exposure by creating false accounts for different use case scenarios and use of different vpn for different browsers and accounts, thus avoiding the stereo typing or profiling of yourself.
 
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ForgottenSeer 85179

With a pihole on raspberry Pi the dns data remain in you hand
That's not true as PiHole by default doesn't use Unbound and only Unbound is a really own DNS server which get DNS data from DNS root servers.
So by default PiHole is only a overview/ management same like NextDNS but NextDNS provide better privacy then PiHole - even with Unbound can made.
See e.g.
NextDNS first to support blocking of ALL third-party trackers disguised as first-party
 

Lenny_Fox

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Okay, after having used Opera when changing from Microsoft phone to my Samsung A70 last year, plain Chrome is annoying (browsing with ads), so I tried

Samsung browser again with
- Safe browsing on
- Smart anti-tracking on (blocks 3rd-party tracking cookies)
-:Block websites I have not visited when pressing return

Adguard free add-on for Samsung browser with
- English filter
- Social media buttons filter
- Mobile ads filter

Next DNS free with
- Hardened privacy mode enabled

Using samsung safe passwords feature (using biometrics) and running samsung browser always inprivate mode (added app shortcut to my startpage).

Duckduckgo search engine and using start.duckduckgo.com as homepage with cloud settings (so these settings survive running inprivate mode).

Until now this seems to work well (although I fear that Samsung browser only updates once every three months, so on average 1 chrome version behind)
 
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Lenny_Fox

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Ok @oldschool I tried Brave. I don't like the startpage of Brave, but by adding an incognito Brave link to my startpage, I can avoid Brave's new tab. The incognito Brave new tab is ok.

What I like about Brave on Android is that I seem to be able to disable all Brave's alternative Google stuff like Btave rewards and messages.

Despite their user interface feeling a little odd, I like the visual feedback of the url bar when incognito (purple background).

With NextDNS and Brave I should be well covered on tracking and advertisment blocking.

So thx to oldschool I am now also Brave at Android for as long this mini me Google allows me to disable its advertisements and push messages.
 
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South Park

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Jun 23, 2018
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As Kiwi Browser is no longer being developed, I've switched to Bromite on my tablet and Oreo Android phone. It runs just as fast as Kiwi, with similar ad blocking built-in. It also allows setting a DoH provider, which worked when I tested it on a 4G connection (but didn't work on public WiFi). It can be set to auto-update through F-Droid, even though the browser itself isn't on F-Droid.

So far, I love it. The only downside is that I can't get it to install on my old Kit Kat phone (which runs Kiwi just fine and which I use as a WiFi tablet).
 

South Park

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Jun 23, 2018
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I should add that both the Lollipop tablet and Oreo Go phone are budget devices with 32-bit ARM processors and only 1 GB of RAM apiece. The Kit Kat phone, which I was gifted in 2017, appears to have been made around 2013 and only has 512 GB of RAM! Kiwi is the only browser that ever worked properly with it.
 
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