Enough. I ditched Google Chome.

Thanks for posting, Seth. Good info. 

Haven't touched Chrome in years. There are far better options out there.

Strangely....coincidentally....I'd been using Chrome for over a decade exclusively....and last week it shat itself and I lost all my history...so I said...bugger it...and went to it's bastard cousin...Edge.

And...horror of horrors....am using Bing as a search engine...and not missing 'google'.

That'll remain the adverb....just not the noun...;)

I don't use Chrome, never have and never will.  I could never trust it due to Google's data mining and the collection of what ever information it can pry from users.  And another thing about it I'm annoyed about is when Chrome is bundled with other software.  All too often the opt out is obscure/hard to see and Chrome will get installed without specific consent.  That to me is dishonest and deceitful.  Sadly, it is nigh impossible to escape Googles 'all-seeing eye, what with so many sites on the WW Web using Google Analytics and its other data collection tools.

I use Mozilla Firefox as my main browser but I am interested in giving Brave and SRWare Iron Browser a go to see how they might suit me better.

I've been using Bing for a few years now and find it to be a decent search engine.  Yes, MS collects user information, but I've never been bombarded with ads or unwelcome data based on my search preferences, so I'm happy to keep using it.

I have a guaranteed way of securing your online privacy and information, 

Sign out of everything, Turn off the internet and do things the old fashioned way.

Look, some services may be worse than others but in reality in today's world of convenience's you have to give something up to get what you want.

Even if you pay for it.  How secure is your privacy? There seems to always be a 'Data Leak' somewhere, somehow.

So the way I see it is if you need to ditch something like Chrome, then you might as well ditch everything associated with Google. That goes the same for Apple, Microsoft, etc...

Why cut off a branch when the tree is still in your way?

Just a side note it really does not matter what browser you use. There is no such thing as true privacy if you use the internet. 

Good seeing you, elvee.

Trying to keep one's data private is a struggle...maybe even a losing one, but browsers like Chrome and Edge/Explorer have no place on my machine because of their gross negligence and over collection of data to sell.

Hi Doc!

But yeah, Kona speaks the truth on this. 

In the end all that matters is what you are comfortable with.  

"My private date" - "Your private data" ?

100% privacy does not exist.

I use an adblocker & then some and rarely see any ads or contents based om my interests that I have not actively chosen. I don't care if Google knows that I search for "Charlie Watts", "best pizza" or "titties" for that matter. Why should I? I don't do anything outside the law that I'm aware of, so why should I care? What about you? Why is it so dangerous that your online life become a part of big data?

You're right, 100% privacy went out the window when large internet companies began data mining to gain business advantages.... with Google being the worst offender of invading internet users personal information, whether or not they use Google services.

I know that I'm being watched wherever I go on the WWW, and that's why I take precautions with ad blockers and anti-tracking add-ons.  It may not eliminate all of it, but I guess that's the price we pay to use the internet.

Not too bothered about your pizza searches, but I wouldn't mind if you were to share your titties search results with me.      

I don't care what anyone says. I refuse to share my titties.. errr...data with google, apple, ms or anyone but starkers...but his data leaks, and has for years! 

I do know that privacy ended long ago, guys, but the blatant arrogance of google really got my goat, and after seeing the article, I decided to warn folks off Chrome because there really are better alternatives. 

Those would be some interesting pics, for sure Doc!       

 Are you suggesting that I have acquired chronic internet incontinence?  

Just when I was about to start to sorta like Edge, you do this to me, Seth.

Back to Brave on Windows (which has a TOR option).  Although Brave has an iOS app, I've been using DuckDuckGo browser; if I remember correctly, only because it got to the App Store first.  DDG may be working on a Windows browser, which would be nice.

For good measure, NordVPN on all my devices.

I used Chrome before on my old lapto, but it was eating so much RAM so I stopped using it. I really don't see why people use this browser so much, probably cause a lot of softwares are advertising it. I think Avast is one of them, they constantly pop up ads to download Chrome, it's crazy.

But yea, I just use Opera these days. It's working ok for me so far, can't complain.

Same here... never open my browser without it being activated.  However, there are some news sites and the like who do not like it, so I pause it when wanting to read the news.

I'm still using Firefox as my main browser, though I have tried others and sort of don't mind them.  I guess FF is what I'm accustomed to and comfortable with.

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-vpn-serviceshttps://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-vpn-services

I'm going to try using Slimjet again even if it's not skinned to the WB I'm using. Firefox doesn't seem to be able to handle some sites very well. I used Slimjet it in the past. It's still on my PC.  What could go wrong?   

I have extensive experience with two, so FWIW:

I purchased a lifetime 5-device license for VPN Unlimited a few years ago when it was on sale.  Had issues with frequent dropped connections, multiple times a day, with disruption of my online work each time.  I patiently waited through 4 or 5 "New, Improved" versions without the issue ever getting fixed (they always blamed the problem on me, or at least my configuration choices, which I did not make - I used the recommended defaults) and finally gave up & abandoned it.  Should have done so much sooner but, hey, I had a lifetime deal.  Because of the frequency of dropped connections, I don't recommend it for extended periods of use.  Might be OK if only short intervals of use are needed.  Having not used it in a couple of years, my information may be a bit stale, however.

After some due diligence, I purchased NordVPN a couple of years ago.  It has been a solid, reliable workhorse and dropped connections are exceedingly rare.  Reasonably priced, well-reviewed and happy to recommend it.  Even though sounds like it would be a Scandinavian outfit, I understand it is based in Panama.

0.02

I have been using NordVPN for about five years now and find it to be very effective with little to no drop-outs or issues.  I had tried other VPNs but NordVPN is definitely the best I've used and I recommend it, also.  It has multiple secure servers all around the globe so there are many options to choose from should a server become slow due to multiple users.