The privacy on android It has always been a controversial topic. Apart from the doubts that the ubiquitous Chrome always generates, we have an operating system strongly tied to the ecosystem of the search giant, and we all know that one of the main sources of Google’s income is advertising, which is more effective if it is able to adapt to the trends and tastes of the user.

On the other hand, we have the Internet situation as we know it, which was designed primarily to facilitate the transfer of data and information. This means that, for practical reasons, the only way to have 100% real privacy is to not be on the Internet, but that does not legitimize certain practices, especially by some giants that even break the will of users in aspects that they can (or at least should be able to) control control).

On previous occasions, we have mentioned how to enable Do Not Track and some of the most competent VPNs to have at least some privacy on Android, so this time we will focus on web browserswhich, along with messaging applications, social networks and YouTube, are the most used to access content available over the Internet.

If you are looking for a web browser that respects your privacy, here we mention five options that you should consider, especially those that are published as open source because they offer more transparency than those that are proprietary software.

Tor browser

We’ll start with the most used example in these topics: Tor browser. This browser is an old familiar for those who want to anonymize their traffic and avoid tracking. Obviously, like the desktop-focused version, it’s being developed by the Tor Project. It is based on Firefox for Android and is open source.

Once launched, the app will ask for the level of security the user wants to have, which can be standard, more secure, and “the most secure of all.” The more security is tightened, the more elements of the website are likely to be blocked, but this can lead to the pages themselves being broken and therefore impossible to navigate depending on the website being accessed.

In addition to easy access to the Tor network, the browser is responsible for blocking the ability to take screenshots, although this does not prevent taking a photo from another device. HTTPS Everywhere and NoScript are pre-installed as plugins.

Tor Browser has proven to not only anonymize traffic, but also bypass the filters found on many websites that prevent access to certain types of content.

DuckDuckGo privacy browser

DuckDuckGo privacy browser It was one of the first signs of the company’s diversification beyond the search engine at the time. In keeping with tradition, it is a privacy-focused web browser that is powered by the WebView core present in Android itself, so it draws on Chromium technologies for rendering.

It is important to note that, unlike Tor Browser, DuckDuckGo for Android does not anonymize traffic or offer network access with similar features, so it is limited to block trackers that one may encounter while browsing the web. These types of solutions can come in handy for those who don’t have the knowledge and want at least some privacy. And of course, DuckDuckGo is the default search engine that plays at home for a reason.

It’s easy for users to disable tracking blocking on any website they like and want to help with ad serving. The whitelist can be easily accessed from the configuration.

It is an interesting feature the flame you see to the right of the address bar that lets you clear open tabs and browsing data with a single touch, which reinforces the app’s intentions to offer privacy in a simple way. Additionally, it is free software, the code of which is released under the Apache 2 license.

InBrowser – anonymous browser

InBrowser – anonymous browser is another old familiar among Android web browsers focused on providing privacy. Its main characteristic is that it does not store cookies or browsing history connecting to the Tor network through Orbot’s built-in implementation, its built-in video player, and integration with the LastPass password managerwhich has been somewhat questioned for a long time.

Along with the ability to connect to the Tor network, it offers options to block trackers, enable or disable the use of plugins like Flash, enable or disable JavaScript and images, and has options to redistribute text on non-optimized websites. for mobile and increase or decrease the font size.

BraveBrowser

brave is a Chromium-based web browser created by Brendan Eich, the “father” of JavaScript and a person long associated with Mozilla. Like DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser, this is a solution that is more aimed at those looking for some privacy in a simple way, as it brings pretty decent blocker pre-installed. In addition, it is the main derivative of Chromium published as free software, if we count its popularity and the fact that it is published under the MPL 2 license, the same one used by Firefox.

Brave optionally offers the possibility of earning by viewing advertisements on websites. It uses its own cryptocurrency for this, which has a fairly low value so far, so it is enough to pay for the occasional coffee throughout the year.

In addition to a special design that invites users to advertise, Brave has its own video conferencing services, a VPN, and a search engine that respects user privacy. It also offers synchronization between desktop (Windows, Linux and macOS) and mobile devices, which may not appeal to the most privacy-conscious, but it makes life easier for many users.

firefox focus

And of course, a Mozilla product could not be missing from a contribution with these characteristics. firefox focuscompared to the standard product, it stands out by offering fairly strong protection by default Block a large number of trackers automatically. In addition, it allows you to easily delete history, passwords and cookies minimize things like targeted advertising as much as possible. Mozilla emphasizes that this browser takes privacy to the next level because the option to “most browsers’ private browsing is incomplete and difficult to use“.

In short, Firefox Focus plays in the same league as DuckDuckGo and Brave in trying to offer strong tracker blocking by default, providing easy privacy for less savvy users. After breaking stone so many times with the same thing, it’s worth noting Blocking trackers helps you browse faster because less data is loaded, which can be useful on smartphones that have a good portion of power.

Alternative: use the browser of your choice with Orbot Proxy with Tor

Don’t like any of the options mentioned here? The alternative is installation Orbot Proxy with Tora proxy that allows you to indicate which applications route their traffic through the Tor network, and has a VPN mode to hide the user’s location.

Of course, it is important to remember that Orbot Proxy with Tor does not transform the browser into a private browser, so the history and cookies that accumulate during browsing will remain stored unless the user initiates private browsing of the browser. web browser or delete them later, preferably before disconnecting via Orbot.

conclusion

Growing privacy concerns have made many products that stand out in this regard quite mainstream, especially considering that brands like DuckDuckGo and Firefox are familiar to most of the general public.

Here we have limited ourselves to mentioning some of the most popular options that are well supported by their developers, but there are certainly many others that are at least as competent, not only in the Play Store, but also in other repositories such as F -Droid.