Vivaldi Removing Facebook as a Default Link in Browser's Speed Dial

[CyberTech]

Vivaldi Removing Facebook as a Default Link in Browser's Speed Dial

Vivaldi Speed Dial Page with Facebook link
Vivaldi announced today that they will be removing Facebook as a default link in their browser's Speed Dial feature. Citing concerns about Facebook's mishandling of data and their lack of privacy protection, Vivaldi's CEO has decided that Facebook is not a platform they feel comfortable promoting.

In a blog post to Vivaldi's site, Co-Founder and CEO Jon von Tetzchner, announced that because of the mishandling of of data for the 87 million users affected by the Cambridge Analytica fiasco, Vivaldi can no longer support the Facebook platform.

"What is becoming more apparent is that Facebook’s actions (or lack thereof) to protect their users’ privacy and data leave a lot to be desired.

Facebook’s continued lack of respect for their users’ privacy and the just-plain-creepy level of targeting made available to advertisers is at direct odds with our vision at Vivaldi.

We want an internet where users come first. Where usage data is not unnecessarily collected and shared. As we’ve said before, protecting privacy should be the default.

Going forward, we will not include a link to Facebook in the Speed Dial by default in Vivaldi. It’s no longer a platform we feel we can encourage users to access. This means that when a new user installs Vivaldi they will not see a link to Facebook in their Speed Dial. Existing users will not see this change reflected in their bookmarks." - Jon von Tetzchner

For those unfamiliar with Speed Dial, it is a start page displayed by the Vivaldi browser that contains a variety of default links to site's that are commonly used by its users. These links include Amazon, Ebay, Twitter, Ted, and others. Users can add or delete the various links on the Speed Dial page in order to customize it towards their own need.

The current version of Vivaldi will still contain the default Facebook link in the Speed Dial page. According to a Vivaldi spokesperson, version 1.15, which "is almost ready and should come out soon", will no longer have the Facebook link.

Update 4/9/18 12:46 EST: The article has been updated to include the version number that this change will appear.

Source: Vivaldi Removing Facebook as a Default Link in Browser's Speed Dial​

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

That'll teach them.