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Although proprietary software may be easier for a government to compel to be modified to add tracking, it still runs the risk of being noticed in most reasonabl

by comex 13y ago

Although proprietary software may be easier for a government to compel to be modified to add tracking, it still runs the risk of being noticed in most reasonable cases, and there is in fact no evidence that any Western government is doing any such thing. It does increase the chance that you are being tracked due to incompetence, but I don't think this is particularly likely for such well-known software. True, there is a difference with the bookmark sync - I do not think it is valid to discount a browser entirely based on this.

azakai 13y ago
You seem to be assuming that tracking only happens either through incompetence or government mandate? Companies also track users to make money. Just today there was the news that twitter is starting to track its users, for example (at least it is opt-out).
- comex 13y ago
  Tracking in client-side software that occurs to make money is typically described in privacy policies, and a browser adding additional tracking would likely cause an uproar. While Firefox may provide a better default regarding sync, there is a difference between saying "stop using Chrome" and "enable client-side encryption".
  - azakai 13y ago
    > Tracking in client-side software that occurs to make money is typically described in privacy policies, and a browser adding additional tracking would likely cause an uproar Emphasis mine. Yes, you might trust them not to track you, or to trust that someone will find out if they do, and that you will hear about it if so. But far better would be to use an open source browser (either Firefox or Chromium).
  - justincormack 13y ago
    The privacy policies do not tend to point out that this information may then be made available to governments.
- LoganCale 13y ago
  Twitter has been and will continue to track users' (and possible non-users') external web activity through their embedded buttons on so many pages. They're now beginning to sell that data, and that's what you can opt out of.

by comex 13y ago

azakai 13y ago

You seem to be assuming that tracking only happens either through incompetence or government mandate? Companies also track users to make money. Just today there was the news that twitter is starting to track its users, for example (at least it is opt-out).

comex 13y ago
Tracking in client-side software that occurs to make money is typically described in privacy policies, and a browser adding additional tracking would likely cause an uproar. While Firefox may provide a better default regarding sync, there is a difference between saying "stop using Chrome" and "enable client-side encryption".
- azakai 13y ago
  > Tracking in client-side software that occurs to make money is typically described in privacy policies, and a browser adding additional tracking would likely cause an uproar Emphasis mine. Yes, you might trust them not to track you, or to trust that someone will find out if they do, and that you will hear about it if so. But far better would be to use an open source browser (either Firefox or Chromium).
- justincormack 13y ago
  The privacy policies do not tend to point out that this information may then be made available to governments.
LoganCale 13y ago
Twitter has been and will continue to track users' (and possible non-users') external web activity through their embedded buttons on so many pages. They're now beginning to sell that data, and that's what you can opt out of.