The good and bad about your browser
There are many enticements to get you to choose a specific browser
Trying to keep up with the massive amount of computer terminology associated with the internet can be quite confusing for many people. However, there is one piece of technology you should learn all about because it’s probably the most important piece of software on your computer, a threat to your online privacy, and the subject of an ongoing battle among the internet’s largest corporations.
This remarkable and doubleedged technology is your computer’s internet browser. You may not know what it is, but you use it every time you visit a website, do online banking, check your Hotmail or Gmail account, post something to Facebook, or watch a YouTube video.
The most popular web browsers are Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Safari — the default browser on any Apple device. Several browsers can be installed on a computer and run at the same time without any problems. Visit What’s My Browser (whatismybrowser.com/) to find out which one you’re using.
A browser is most valuable on a desktop or laptop computer because a mobile device uses specific apps, such as the Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, and banking apps, instead of a browser to access various websites.
There is only one default browser which automatically opens a website when you click on a link in a Facebook posting or an email message, and Microsoft, Google, and Mozilla are vitally interested in which browser you’ll choose as your computer’s default.
There are many enticements to get you to choose a specific browser. Google says Chrome is the best for accessing Google Search, Maps, and Photos, Firefox touts its highsecurity platform, and Microsoft has embedded artificial intelligence features in Edge.
Why is your choice of a default browser so important to these companies? Quite simply, it’s all about money.
Your browser is an essential tool for tracking your internet activity, data which can be sold and used to direct advertising to you. The default browser logs your browsing and search history, and compiles a gold mine of cookies which are small bits of text placed in your browser that can identify your computer and be used to track which websites you visit, how often, and what you purchased.
It’s possible to sync all your favourites or bookmarks and passwords among the same brand of browser on all of your other devices. On Edge, Chrome, or Firefox on each device, click on the small head icon in the upper right or left of the browser and sign in with your respective Microsoft, Google, or Mozilla account. This feature may sound terrific, but it ultimately allows the browser on each of your devices to track and accurately identify your computer at the numerous websites you visit and compile a much more detailed file of your personal details.
The good thing in all of this browser tracking is that you still ultimately have control. To select the default browser on your computer, click on Start, Settings, Apps, and in Default Apps click on the browser name you want to set as the default. Windows will pop up a stern warning if you don’t choose Edge, but there is no real danger.
You can also choose to not sign-in to the browser on each device and, if you already have, click on your icon at the top of the browser and sign out.
Disabling cookies in the browser’s settings could cause trouble in accessing banking or retail sites and is not recommended. Instead, use a feature in each browser that will prevent it from saving any cookies when you visit specific websites, or all of the time, and force it to delete all browsing and search history when you close the browser. Click the three dots or lines at the top right of the browser and in Chrome choose Incognito Mode, InPrivate in Microsoft Edge, or New Private Window in Firefox.
It’s nice to know that despite the efforts of the tech giants that you still have the choice of the default browser and can limit its privacy intrusions.