To be honest, if I wanted software that ruled my computer instead of me, I’d stay with Firefox. I came to Brave just because Firefox announced plans to filter out information on my behalf - and I disliked the inability not only to opt-out of automatic updates, but even checking for them. But Firefox at least informs you about them.
To have replacement software that cannot be told to not check updates, to not communicate with servers outside my intentions and/or knowledge, to not choose to update on my behalf, and to tell me about doing any of these things, seems to me to be a failed effort from the start.
I’d like to have Brave ask me if:
- I want it to check for updates.
- I want it to install updates. And, if I choose yes, on those both:
- To inform me when it does.
Otherwise it doesn’t seem to me like an independent browser to the all controlling mammoths, just a marketing disguise.
At this point I’d like to say that automatically referring you to the Goggle store for any extension seems suspicious enough, but I told myself that it’s because it’s built on a Chromium frame.
Having the most important settings hidden under “other settings”, instead of being listed up front, again, didn’t look good.
This latest update find makes me ask if Brave is truly an independent browser, with respect for people’s privacy and decisions in mind, or just another establishment spinoff hack, to give a false impression of “alternative”.
All the best to everyone.