I’ve been a Firefox power user since it launched 20 years ago – here’s why it still beats Chrome and Safari

The best browser turns 20

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It was my birthday a few weeks ago, and as if that didn’t make me feel old enough, theFirefox browserhas just turned exactly 20 years old today. Yes, Firefox version 1.0 launched on November 9, 2004 – and I’ve been using it for almost as long as it’s been alive, picking it up in the mid-noughties and loading it onto every computer I’ve used in the years since.

Over all that time, I’ve stuck with Firefox through thick and thin (and Chrome’s increasing dominance). It’s clear to me that Firefox has always done a few things far better than rivals like Chrome andSafari– things that thoseweb browsersare unlikely to ever match.

Right from when I started using Firefox, what drew me to it was its strong stance on privacy. It’s always been important to me that my data stays my own and is not sold to anyone else for profit. It’s not always possible to stop that happening, but with Firefox, it’s a whole lot easier.

That’s because Firefox blocks all sorts of trackers that can invade your privacy and follow you around the web. Cookies are isolated to stop them building a detailed picture of you, and Firefox limits access to data that can be used to create a digital “fingerprint” of your browsing habits by less conscientious websites and services.

That’s just scratching the surface of itsprivacy-protecting features, and I’m still glad to have them at my disposal whenever I use the web.

Chrome’s privacy problem

Take a look atGoogle Chromeand the contrast is stark. Chrome doesn’t block trackers by default, nor does it offer fingerprint blocking. It monitors the websites you visit and uses this data to send you targeted ads. While you can block some of the topics it identifies, you can’t stop it finding other ad topics to share with websites. It’s going to sell your private data, whether you want it to or not.

WhileGooglehas considered implementing pro-privacy features, it’s often backtracked when it became apparent how much that could impact third-party advertisers and data brokers. Just look at the Privacy Sandbox, which Google haswatered down significantly, or the way Google often uses so-calleddark patternsto lure you into sharing as much of your data as possible.

Ultimately, we shouldn’t be surprised at Chrome’s behavior. Google runs the world’s largest advertising network and has a built-in incentive to violate your privacy (and limit what you can do to stop it). Google’s privacy efforts will always be half-hearted as long as implementing policies that keep your info safe hurt its bottom line. Money talks, after all.

Things are different for Firefoxbecause it’s developed by Mozilla, a group that puts privacy at the forefront of its work. Firefox is open source, too, so you know exactly what you’re getting without having to worry about hidden nasties making it into your browsing experience. In other words, it’s the antithesis of Chrome.

Actions speak louder than words, and Mozilla doesn’t just talk the talk – it follows through on what it promises, even when its features might hurt its ability to make money from its users.

In contrast, it’s clear that this is absolutely not the case with Chrome, and nor will it ever be. I know which browser I’d rather trust.

Why don’t I just use Safari?

If privacy is a priority for me, why haven’t I switched toApple’sSafari browser? There’s an argument for me doing so: like Mozilla, Apple iswell-known for its pro-privacy stances. Safari is generally faster than Firefox, too, helping it offer the best of both Firefox and Chrome.

But there’s a problem: Safari is limited to Apple’s own devices. I use both Windows and macOS in my day-to-day life, so I need something that will function on every device I own. Safari can’t do that, and given how disappointing Safari for Windows was back when it existed, I doubt Apple is too fussed about expanding the browser beyond its own products.

In contrast, I can get Firefox on any of my devices and it will be set up just as I expect it to be, with all the extensions, bookmarks and tabs right where they should be. I can send a tab from Firefox on my Windows PC to Firefox on my Mac or on my iPhone and it’ll arrive instantly, letting me pick up where I left off whatever device I’m using.

It’s that combination of cross-platform compatibility and rock-solid privacy credentials that have me still using Firefox 20 years later.

Throw in a huge library of excellent extensions and I get everything I need from Mozilla’s browser – there’s no alternative that quite matches what it can do. With 20 years in the bag, I imagine I’ll still be using Firefox in another two decades’ time.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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