Last updated: December 31, 2022
Privacy is at the heart of debates on the Internet and Brave can be the answer when it comes to the security of its personal data. Where does it start and most importantly, is privacy really private when browsing the internet?
Funinformatique.com invites you to discover the newcomer developed by former engineers from Mozilla, at the origin of Firefox which was the first serious competitor to Microsoft Internet Explorer.
The origins of Brave, taking the best of many worlds
Among the most recent Internet browsers, Brave was developed in open source by Brave Software Inc. It was released in 2016 on the market to reach more than 50 million monthly users by December 2021. Its designer, Brendan Eich, was the creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla Firefox.
Brave's genes have multiple origins. The browser itself uses the Chromium interface which is the open source version of Google Chrome.
It also houses a token to identify the blockchain transaction, as well as a never-before-seen download technology for a browser. Indeed, it uses the technology of Webtorrent, the online version of Bit Torrent with magnet link for download files directly from several sources. This optimizes the download speed all the time.
How many browsers offer a unique economic model?
Brave wants to be innovative, to the point of defying the system of advertisements that circulate in large numbers on the Internet. The ads are automatically blocked, apart from those chosen by the Internet user, which distinguishes it from other browsers.
For advertisements that the user considers appropriate, the revenues from these are distributed as follows:
- The publisher of Brave, up to 35%.
- The website on which they appear, up to 55%.
- The Internet user himself at 15%.
Currently, only websites (producers) are paid.
By doing so, Brave has attracted a certain amount of hostility from the American news media, including the New York Times, who are thus deprived of part of their income. Following this, several press publishers signed a petition, ordering the company to “stop diverting all web content for its own benefit”.
Advertising, Privacy, and Cryptocurrency: The Brave Ecosystem
In order to reward users, the lion browser has set up a reward program called Brave Rewards. The most loyal are rewarded with cryptocurrency-based tokens, BAT (Basic Award Tokens).
BAT is a cryptocurrency derived fromEthereum, which has partnered with the browser as part of the digital advertising regulation program.
The principle of BAT, which is similar to crypto mining, is based on Brave's advertising ecosystem, namely:
- Reward users for their attention: they watch ads and get BAT in return. The confidentiality of their data is preserved.
- Remunerate creators for their content: it is valued according to its relevance, its richness and its editorial and visual qualities.
- Allow selected advertisers to obtain better profitability: advertisers have tools with Brave that allow them to evaluate their performance, all while respecting the confidentiality of users.
Users can also use their BAT to support advertisers (Sites or content creators), which helps keep this ecosystem alive.
It is even possible to reward tweets with BAT! Most cryptocurrency sites accept BAT as currency, allowing users to spend their earnings on more substantial gifts like gift cards, vacation stays, etc.
Brave Vs Chrome: the match at the top of the browsers
Ergonomically, there's not much that separates Chrome from its challenger. Google browser users will easily find each other when discovering Brave, which makes sense because they have a lot in common. However, the analogy ends there.
Due to its development choices, Brave is a niche browser, which has relied on security and privacy, which are important things to consider when surfing the Internet. So you have a in-browser ad blocker, and you are in control of what you want to see.
From a performance point of view, Brave, by its choices, is intended to be faster than Chrome, which is renowned for its display speed. However, the reality is not necessarily so clear and according to the tests carried out on different sites, the decision is shared. The difference between the two is above all a question of functionality.
Below is a comparison of the features of the two browsers, Google Chrome and Brave.
| Features | Google Chrome | Brave |
| HTTPS protocol | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| QR CODE holder | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Bookmarks of all tabs | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Customizing fonts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Integrated audio player with controls | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Continue browsing (history) | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Tor mode (100% anonymous) | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Brave talk – integrated video conferencing | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Notifications automatically OFF | ✔️ | ❌ |
|
Link highlighting |
✔️ | ❌ |
| Checking for dangerous software | ✔️ | ❌ |
|
Organization of tabs |
✔️ | ❌ |