duckduckgo

[DEAR_JOHN]

I use firefox, but outside of banking I don't really need to change browsers for privacy. Does anybody here use duckduckgo? Are there any benefits using it?

[hexecutive1]

I do. I have used it since it came out. It’s about 90% as good as google. Every once in a while I’ll have to use google to find something but very rarely. I love it. I don’t use any google products.

[pxmcc]

not to jump the shark, but does anyone know the best way to avoid Microsoft-the company from hell-and Adobe Acrobat, which
keeps trying to sell me on upgrades? super annoying, esp Mcrosft

[Unique_Carpenter]

duckduckgo,

Works fine.
Not as robust as Meta, but unless you know how to turn off all the Google tracking for ad placement, perhaps could be preferred.

[Anonymous01]

Duckduckgo uses the same search algorithms as MS Bing, but without the trackers.

[bigwill832]

Check out Brave

[Seline]

I use it. I love it. There are two great benefits, being able to instantly erase any webpage your visiting and no advertisements allowed. Hope this helps

[GhostRiderYYZ]

Switch to Linux... thus giving MS the finger

[DarthMaul]

What GhostRider said!!

[pxmcc]

what ghost and darth said..

#fuckmicrosoft
#MSpleaseeatshitndiequickly..

[low end theory]

I agree with the three post before me

[BatteriesNotIncluded]

Brave browser. Their AI is pretty good. But nothing is impenetrable

[pxmcc]

fuck me. Microsoft fucked up my laptop..again. this shit should be criminalized.

as a non-tech person, do i have any good options to avoid MS as much as possible other than going full Apple?

[Anonymous01]

I started with MS-DOs 2.11 on a 5.25" floppy disk and am currently running 3 laptops, all with Windows 11, latest Service Pack. My recommendations:


1. Firefox with full privacy features turned on;


2. All privacy extensions recommended by EFF.org (https://www.eff.org/pages/tools)


3. Only have ONE browser page open at a time


4. PAY for a good firewall (I prefer Norton 360) that allows you to configure all inbound and outbound traffic; default to "Block"


5. Invest in a good VPN; Proton recently caught 2 trackers attached to an email that Norton didn't


6. Disconnect the computer from the Wi-Fi when you're not using it and TURN IT OFF


7. Run BleachBit (Eff.org) after you disconnect from the net and upon startup.


Stay away from the following products (in order of toxicity):


1. Google / Alphabet;


2. Amazon / Alexa / AWS;


3. Microsoft / Microsoft "store"


4. "Smart" speakers / TV's etc. Yes, they are always listening. Yes, you gave up your rights to privacy when you turned the damned thing on. Yes, there is a permanent digital recording of everything the smart device "hears". And finally, yes, those recordings have been used and held up as legally obtained evidence in criminal courts.

[Ericka xoxo]

Originally Posted by BatteriesNotIncluded

Brave browser. Their AI is pretty good. But nothing is impenetrable

I use Brave too it automatically blocks ads and trackers. It also offers an option for anonymous browsing through the Tor network.