On Linux and Android. What are privacy oriented alternatives to Firefox now that it’s no longer trustworthy?

The ability to sync between devices would be a huge bonus, even just on a local network.

  • leadore@lemmy.world
    10·
    2 months ago

    I just installed Librewolf today, using it now. Being a fork of FF it makes a very smooth transition.

  • Arthur Besse@lemmy.mlEnglish
    61·
    2 months ago

    https://digdeeper.club/articles/browsers.xhtml has a somewhat comprehensive analysis of a dozen of the browsers you might consider, illuminating depressing (and sometimes surprising) privacy problems with literally all of them.

    In the end it absurdly recommends something which forked from Firefox a very long time ago, which is obviously not a reasonable choice from a security standpoint. I don’t have a good recommendation, but I definitely don’t agree with that article’s conclusion: privacy features are pointless if your browser is trivially vulnerable to exploits for a plethora of old bugs, which will inevitably be the case for a volunteer-run project that diverged from Firefox a long time ago and thus cannot benefit from Mozilla’s security fixes in each new release.

    However, despite its ridiculous conclusion, that page’s analysis could still be helpful when you’re deciding which of the terrible options to pick.

  • Sonalder@lemmy.ml
    5·
    2 months ago

    If you want to keep the Gecko Engine from Mozilla to support an alternative to Google’s monopoly here are a couple alternative for Linux :

    • Librewolf
    • Mullvad Browser
    • Zen Browser

    For Android you have to be aware that unfortunately every firefox based browser lack of per-site isolation unlike chromium browsers.

    • IronFox (active fork of Mull by DivestOS)
    • Fennec

    On the dark side of the spectrum you have chromium browser such as :

    • Brave (Linux & Android) (disable cryptocrap, sponsor backgrounds and it’s quite good)
    • Cromite (Android)
    • d-RLY?@lemmy.ml
      2·
      1 month ago

      I have been daily driving Zen and aside from some random issues here and there when they mess with the UI (which is to be expected with a beta). It kind of reminds me of how cool Firefox felt back in the day coming from IE. Has been fun to see real progress and effort to try weird things that are local to the browser. Not trying to acquire costly extra services/products that take resources away from the browser. I just really wish Mozilla would have (or even start) allowing people to donate towards just the browser.

      Some of the extra stuff they have have the option to directly support. The browser is still worth being a real option that isn’t just some Chromium-based BS. Yet they keep trying to divert money to everything but it. I hope that the major forks of FF start tying to prepare for going forward in the main code without Mozilla when/if the time comes. This new IE that is Chrome/Chromium can’t be allowed to keep going and dictating what is and isn’t allowed.

      I also have LibreWolf and Mullvad (along with tor) and like them for the efforts in privacy and security. But are too restrictive for daily use for me. Mostly use them only with VPN when finding torrents and other stuff that I don’t want to be tied to an account/syncing (not just NSFW but searching and looking into political or questionable topics). Very happy to have options no matter what.

    • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      For Android you have to be aware that unfortunately every firefox based browser lack of per-site isolation unlike chromium browsers.

      Wait really? Its 2025, seriously, what is Mozilla doing?

      • Sonalder@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 months ago

        Yes, I learned that thanks to DivestOS which was comming with Mull, they had a comparison table and yes no FF based browser support that basic security feature yet…

  • MrSulu@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    2 months ago

    I’ve been using LibraWolf on desktop for several years now. It’s just far simpler than modifying standard Firefox. for my personal needs.

    • N0x0n@lemmy.ml
      4·
      2 months ago

      LibreWolf is great ! Coming from ArkenFox, I found LibreWolf’s override cfg a bit easier.

      They also have a pacdiff cfg to see what changes from version to version without the need to roam arkenfoxes github repo for hours to find what changed or what to change.

      I installed it yesterday to see how it goes :) If it doesn’t fit, will go back to Arkenfox.