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LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

librewolf.net

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Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#41

Post by ss48 »

itvision wrote: post #26

The biggest problem with all these "privacy" oriented web browsers is that you have to trust their creators explicitly and I just cannot. Most often the developers are some random anonymous Joes without CVs or anything proving they have reputation at stake. Thank you, but no thank you. Even if the official Firefox "leaks" something it's well controlled and well known. What do these browsers do? I've no idea.

Honestly, I find that in many cases I would trust an anonymous random Joe more than a company because they can be more mission driven and limited in their ambition than a growth driven tech company. Firefox keeps trying to push advertising while keeping it private, trying to get people to subscribe to a VPN subscription. Google actively undermines adblocking extensions with Manifest v3 and Web Integrity API. Edge tries to monetize your browsing data by trying to randomly sign your browser in your Microsoft account and sync your bookmarks, history, and passwords to their cloud and keep trying to get you to use their chatbot. There are several more examples.

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#42

Post by dangus »

sneak wrote: post #21
robin_reala wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nonconsensual? Homebrew lets you know upfront before they send anything to their (non-US) analytics server, and running `brew analytics off` turns off analytics permanently. Sure, opt-in in preferable, but this is as good as it gets for opt-out.

It happens without obtaining consent. Notice is not consent. It's nonconsensual. The example I provide: imagine if you put up a sign at the entrance to a party that said "by entering this party, you are going to be groped". Telling someone you are about to violate consent is not the same as getting affirmative consent. Equating them is dishonest.

That sign example is exactly what the film industry does to notify people of filming activity inside an establishment. It’s perfectly reasonable.

Using the example of sexual assault just makes the issue look more extreme than it is.

You might as well say “By entering this building you consent to be murdered,” but we all know that’s taking the slippery slope too far.

Usage statistics and bug telemetry isn’t the same as getting groped. Homebrew is up front about exactly what is collected: https://docs.brew.sh/Analytics

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#43

Post by jlmb »

ShowalkKama wrote: post #32
itvision wrote: post #26

The biggest problem with all these "privacy" oriented web browsers is that you have to trust their creators explicitly and I just cannot. Most often the developers are some random anonymous Joes without CVs or anything proving they have reputation at stake. Thank you, but no thank you. Even if the official Firefox "leaks" something it's well controlled and well known. What do these browsers do? I've no idea.

it's open source, you can simply look at the code (or, better, at the differences with firefox)

This approach also assumes that you then compile the browser from source yourself (and also do that for each future update).

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#44

Post by snowram »

extr0pian wrote: post #16
kornhole wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use both Firefox and Librewolf to achieve browser isolation. Librewolf is my default browser for all anonymous browsing such as news sites. I use Firefox for all my real name ID account logins such as banking. This way your Librewolf browser fingerprint is never associated to your real ID.

Yeah, I get the concept of using different browsers for different things to compartmentalize, and I've tried it, but to me it just seems like I'm making my life more complicated switching back and forth, and I feel like it's cluttering up my system. I love how Librewolf takes privacy to another level, but honestly, all I want is Firefox without all the BS and the ability to disable things I don't want (and not having…

A custom user.js will do the job

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#45

Post by Phelinofist »

Nextgrid wrote: post #4

There are many valid counterpoints on why you shouldn't trust/use this, but the mere existence of it raises a very valid point and calls Mozilla's BS; why does this fork exist at all if Mozilla supposedly cares about your privacy, security and freedom?

> There are many valid counterpoints on why you shouldn't trust/use this

Such as?

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#46

Post by inversetelecine »

Astronaut3315 wrote: post #39
ShowalkKama wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's open source, you can simply look at the code (or, better, at the differences with firefox)

Just like that North Korean symbol downloader on GitHub, which had a malware downloader hidden in plain sight for nearly a year with no one noticing?

On the other hand, on might ask: How long would it have gone unnoticed if the source wasn't open?

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#47

Post by tetris11 »

extr0pian wrote: post #16
kornhole wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use both Firefox and Librewolf to achieve browser isolation. Librewolf is my default browser for all anonymous browsing such as news sites. I use Firefox for all my real name ID account logins such as banking. This way your Librewolf browser fingerprint is never associated to your real ID.

Yeah, I get the concept of using different browsers for different things to compartmentalize, and I've tried it, but to me it just seems like I'm making my life more complicated switching back and forth, and I feel like it's cluttering up my system. I love how Librewolf takes privacy to another level, but honestly, all I want is Firefox without all the BS and the ability to disable things I don't want (and not having…

    alias workfox="firefox -P work"
    alias funfox="librewolf"

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#49

Post by westpfelia »

gabereiser wrote: post #31
mangecoeur wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Telemetry and spyware are not the same thing (irrespective of whatever Firefox is doing). There is a big difference between tracking to try to understand how users are using a software or getting information on bugs and crashes, and tracking with the aim of monetizing personal data. I'm personally not crazy about telemetry implying information is uploaded to a software provider, but from experience I know that trying…

Tracking is tracking, no matter what outcomes you derive from it.

So your general thesis is that software that tracks errors and problems the software might have, and software that deliberately slows down the machine to make you buy new hardware A LA Apple is 100% the same thing?

Re: LibreWolf – Custom version of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom

#50

Post by inversetelecine »

extr0pian wrote: post #10

Just yesterday I had noticed that, "Suggestions from sponsors" in the address bar had been turned back on after a recent Firefox update, and then installed Librewolf. I really want to use it as my main browser, but certain use cases such as online banking (at least with my credit union) doesn't seem to work properly, so I re-disabled "Suggestions from sponsors" in Firefox and went on with my day. Seriously, changing…

The amount of stuff (personal preference) I have to disable in firefox such as Telemetry, Studies/Normandy, Pocket, Advertising and such makes LibreWolf worth it.

I do keep a user.js around to speed things up when doing a new install, but it's still annoying to have to read reddit or here to see if an update adds something new to disable.

Mullvad browser is another option for those who enjoy Mullvad. Note that it can be used without Mullvad service.

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