Privacy-First Browsers and Search: What's Actually Good

🎯 Why Privacy Matters

Your browsing data is valuable. Privacy-focused tools help you keep more of it to yourself.

✅ Browsers

1. Firefox

Firefox is privacy-focused by default. Good tracking protection, open source, and not controlled by a big tech company.

2. Brave

Brave blocks ads and trackers by default. Fast, and built on Chromium (so extensions work).

3. Tor Browser

Maximum privacy, but slower. Use when you really need anonymity.

✅ Search Engines

1. DuckDuckGo

Doesn't track you. Good results, and getting better. My default.

2. Startpage

Google results without tracking. Good if you want Google quality with privacy.

3. Searx

Self-hosted search aggregator. Maximum control, but requires setup.

⚠️ Trade-offs

Privacy tools often mean:

• Slightly worse search results (but improving)
• Some sites break (but fewer than before)
• Less personalized experience (but that's the point)

💡 My Setup

I use:

• Browser: Firefox with uBlock Origin
• Search: DuckDuckGo (with !g for Google when needed)
• DNS: Cloudflare or Quad9 (privacy-focused DNS)

💭 My Take

Privacy tools are getting better. You can have good privacy without sacrificing too much convenience.

Start with Firefox and DuckDuckGo. They're easy switches that make a real difference.