98

So as the title mentions, I'm wondering how much is too much?

I am currently using Brave with the setting to:

  • Aggressively block trackers & ads
  • Only connect with HTTPS
  • Block fingerprinting
  • Block cross-site cookies

In addition to that, I have installed the following extensions:

  • uBlock Origin
  • Ghostery
  • Decentraleyes
  • DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials

So my question is: Is this overkill? If so, what should/could be removed that may be redundant? I want as much coverage as possible, but not have things bloated.

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[-] Extrasvhx9he@lemmy.today 51 points 1 year ago

I mean ublock origin is really all you need imo so I guess one

[-] sycamore@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I disagree. Test your set up here :

https://d3ward.github.io/toolz/adblock.html

I use ublock and ad guard (app and DNS) together to get to 100%.

[-] SomeTeaMonster@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Hmm, interesting tool! With just Brave blocking I get 96%, but turning on uBO, I get 100%.

[-] TheInsane42@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Very interesting site.

On Vivaldi I get:

  • No blocking in settings: 39% (how?)

  • only Ghostery active: 86%

  • only uBlock active: 100% (ghostery still reports trackers)

  • Vivaldi Max blocking, no add-ons: 53%

  • Vivaldi max blocking + Ghostery: 93%

  • All max blocing and on: 100% (same as just uBlock)
    uBlock reports 144 blocked
    Ghostery reports 53 blocked

Even with only uBlock I get a report of 144 blocked ads (96%) with 150 tests and the site showing 100% score Interesting. It's a nice test site, but I think I can conclude in my setup that uBlock is the best blocker, but a combination of Vivaldi's settings and uBlock is a minimum. No clue if ghostery ads anything, but the site won't test everything as it's impossible to do that in the ad war we're in.

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[-] abir_vandergriff@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

One is the right number. Two is too many.

[-] Skimmer@lemmy.zip 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Please never do this! Read this thread from the developer of uBlock Origin. Using multiple content blockers together like this can and will cause issues, and there's no gain or benefit at all from doing so.

I would disable Brave's built-in ad/tracker blocking (leave the rest of the Shields' functionality enabled), and would solely use uBlock Origin, and remove the other extensions. (You could even just stick to Brave's built in ad/tracker blocking if you want to, but I just prefer uBlock Origin for its advanced features and compatibility)

As far as Decentraleyes goes, its essentially abandoned. You can use LocalCDN instead if you wish to do so, though its privacy benefits are debated. I mainly use it since I use uBlock Origin in Hard mode (which it complements uBo very nicely in both Medium or Hard Mode), and for the performance boost it gives, but its up to you. Ghostery and DDG Essentials should definitely be removed. (While DDG Essentials isn't only content blocking, its other features are also just completely redundant and unnecessary with Brave)

[-] Bitrot@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago

DDG extension lets you enable and manage their private email forwarding service. It can also be done through their mobile browser but less convenient.

[-] sic_semper_tyrannis@feddit.ch 28 points 1 year ago

I use the extensions based on the Arkenfox user.js wiki. He describes what's obsolete or redundant, etc. It's a good quick read.

[-] SomeTeaMonster@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Ooh, I like this! Much appreciated.

[-] Etterra@lemmy.world 26 points 1 year ago

Brave is trash and its owned by an asshole. I use adblock browser in my phone and Firefox otherwise. Not sure about the owner or Dev or whatever, but it's much better quality for blocking ads.

An answer to the more pertinent question of how much is too much, however? None. There's no such thing as too much ad blocking.

[-] dataprolet@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 1 year ago

You just need uBlock. The other add-ons are redundant.

[-] McBain@feddit.ch 7 points 1 year ago

uBlock origin + NoScript. Imo.

[-] Klajan@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

But uBlock also has javascript blocking functionality, so I'm not sure NoScript is needed

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[-] Decentralizr@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Yes for the browser i agree, sadly apps have trackers and ads too. A dns can be useful if it's system wide for all that stuff. Nextdns, adguard, rethinkdns or decloudus comes to mind

[-] scytale@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

You can have what Brave does except block ads/trackers, which uBO can cover anyway, but on Firefox or Librewolf instead. For extensions, ditch Ghostery.

[-] SomeTeaMonster@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Noted! I have been looking into Librewolf... Why is Ghostery not useful?

[-] scytale@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Ghostery used to sell (or just send back) user data to advertisers. While it was opt-in, that isn’t really a good look for a privacy tool. I stopped using it when that news broke out long ago, but I think now they are also showing ads of their own(?). Either way, uBO does almost everything now. I have Decentraleyes too, along with ClearURLs, and Privacy Badger (which supposedly is redundant to uBO now too).

[-] MangoPenguin 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

With brave you don't need any of those addons.

On Firefox just uBlock is fine.

[-] ares35@kbin.social 14 points 1 year ago

brave has its own 'issues' that should keep you far away from it.

[-] MangoPenguin 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I don't use it just because I'm not a fan of how chromium browsers work. They have had some controversies too around their crypto stuff and other things, but I'm not too familiar with them.

[-] Sebo@lemmy.one 9 points 1 year ago

My rule for this is if tor uses it its pretty dam good aka No script + Ublock Orgin

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[-] Scary_le_Poo@beehaw.org 8 points 1 year ago

Use Firefox with ubo. Stop using chromium browsers.

[-] SomeTeaMonster@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

After reading through this whole thread, that's exactly what I'm doing.

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[-] n0clue@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Ditch ghostery and replace with privacy badger.

[-] SomeTeaMonster@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Is PrivacyBadger not made redundant by uBlock or any of the other extensions?

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago

PrivacyBadger functionality is now built into uBO.

[-] Very_Bad_Janet@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I hope to find this out, too. I'm using UBO and Privacy Badger on Firefox.

[-] lemmie689@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 year ago

I've tested a few browsers using Eff's Cover Your Tracks website. The best is TOR, but Brave with no extensions is second, it said it provided a randomized fingerprint. Tried it with Firefox with uBlock and it said my comp had a unique fingerprint. Mullvad browser faired slighty better, cant recall the score, but at least it wasn't unique. I tried it with Librewolf also with a load of extensions and it was a poor score as well. So, imo, you don't need extensions with Brave. I think my settings are the same as yours.

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

Yup. Overkill. But, thankfully extension removal is just a click away. More users should ask questions like this.

[-] worfamerryman@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

Websites can also dingier print you by your browser settings and extensions.

So, having a lot of extensions can defeat the purpose of privacy.

I try to keep default settings and a minimal number of extensions.

[-] Lemongrab@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago

It depends on what browser and what extensions. Previously addon could be fingerprinted by detecting what web resourves they used (i think just chromium). On firefox extensions can get detected by sensing certain telltale changes they provide. eg. Inserting js in dom or blocking of ad/tracking domains. Even if the extension itself isnt identified, unique settings and multiple content blockers will make kinds of fingerprinting possible.

[-] AphoticDev@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago

The only privacy add-on you need is uBlock Origin with script blocking and advanced mode enabled, installed on Firefox. Better yet, LibreWolf, although a few websites will be broken by LibreWolf. There are no other privacy add-ons that are necessary beyond uBlock Origin.

I mean, you can install them if you want, but they won't do anything.

[-] uniqueid198x@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago

Honastpy at this point you should turn them all ofi and set up a pi hole

[-] ares35@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

pihole by itself does not remove all the ads and trackers, just ones that come from different hostnames than the site being accessed--which can be blocked by dns.

a browser-based blocker is essential.

[-] rustydomino@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Pi hole is great for blocking ads from IoT devices like TVs or streaming boxes. But pi hope can’t block things like YouTube ads.

this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
98 points (100.0% liked)

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