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Stop using Brave Browser (www.spacebar.news)
submitted 1 year ago by whou@lemmy.ml to c/technology@beehaw.org
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[-] LinkOpensChest_wav@beehaw.org 193 points 1 year ago

I don't trust homophobes or cryptobros, especially not those with a history of selling users out like Brendan Eich

[-] ours@lemmy.film 41 points 1 year ago

Especially when there is Firefox and Firefox-based, privacy-focused alternative with great add-blocking and privacy extensions.

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[-] TWeaK@lemm.ee 147 points 1 year ago

Very strongly worded, but yes.

Brave have had a history of controversy since their inception. Every time something happens, the CEO went on a marketing campaign across social media and drummed up enough new users to drown it out. However the attitude of the business is clear: it would take a very small sack of money for Brave to sell out its users.

If you're going to use a Chromium web browser, there are non-commercial open source projects that don't have a history of shady shit. However Firefox forks are better.

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[-] charonn0@startrek.website 113 points 1 year ago

Why was appointing Eich as CEO so controversial? It's because he donated $1,000 in support of California's Proposition 8 in 2008, which was a proposed amendment to California's state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Which is all the reason I need.

[-] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 34 points 1 year ago

If he had changed his tune since then and done something to offset that, I might be willing to cut him some slack.

But, instead, he seems to have doubled down...

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[-] falsem@kbin.social 113 points 1 year ago

People that use Brave always remind of the people pushing crypto.

[-] people_are_cute@lemmy.sdf.org 72 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not a single solid reason given in this unhinged rent except a mention of that affiliate link fiasco, which even they themselves agree was a major fuckup.

All BAT and crypto stuff are completely opt-in and it barely takes a few clicks to set the browser to never let you see that side of it again. As for Brendan's political affiliations, most users couldn't care less. He might as well be a ~~furry~~ flat-earther but if the product is good, it is good. Stop acting like you're sure all the things you use throughout the day aren't made by people with doubtful leanings.

I personally don't use Brave on desktop, Firefox is good enough; but it is the best option on Android currently since Bromite is almost always a Chromium version behind whatever is current.

Edit: Just learnt that I was wrong in my perception of what "furry" meant. Reading the replies objecting to that reference made me dig a bit deeper and realise that it's just a type of fandom, and not some sex-deviant cult that pop media made me believe. Sorry for the wrong example.

[-] wifienyabledcat@beehaw.org 135 points 1 year ago

mf really conflated being a homophobe to being a furry đź’€

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[-] davehtaylor@beehaw.org 91 points 1 year ago

As for Brendan’s political affiliations, most users couldn’t care less. He might as well be a furry but if the product is good, it is good. Stop acting like you’re sure all the things you use throughout the day aren’t made by people with doubtful leanings.

  1. People do care about Eich's beliefs, or this discussion wouldn't even be happening.

  2. There's nothing wrong with being a furry, and trying to compare it as though it's equivalent or worse than being a shitbag bigot is bullshit.

  3. If you know that the people who run a company are bigots and you continue to use their products and services, you are giving your explicit approval to who they are and what they do. "if the product is good, it is good" absolutely fucking not. Goods and services don't exist in a vacuum.

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[-] TWeaK@lemm.ee 82 points 1 year ago

Not a single solid reason given in this unhinged rent except a mention of that affiliate link fiasco, which even they themselves agree was a major fuckup.

That's pretty dismissive of a feature that could only have been added intentionally. It's not like there was some accidental glitch that was adding affiliate suffixes on the end of links.

What we have here is a business poking and prodding and seeing what they can get away with. You've said that there's only one thing they did that's truly out of line, while glossing over the fact that most of what they do is borderline. Their intent is clear.

[-] borlax@lemmy.borlax.com 45 points 1 year ago

Imagine comparing furries to homophobes lol. Sit down you goofball.

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[-] beefcat@beehaw.org 40 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The very first reason seems valid to me. No way anyone should be supporting a hateful asshole like that. Anybody going around saying homosexuality is any less valid than heterosexuality has no place in our society anymore.

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[-] Alto@kbin.social 39 points 1 year ago

If directly funding homophobic policies isn't a good enough reason for you, you need to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why that is

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[-] drcouzelis@lemmy.zip 66 points 1 year ago

To anyone reading this article, only the first quarter of it is about the beliefs and political stance of the developers. The rest of the article after that goes into more technical reasons.

[-] IHeartBadCode@kbin.social 41 points 1 year ago

All I needed to read was in the first paragraph.

Brave Software, the company behind the browser of the same name, was founded by Brendan Eich. He's best known as the creator of JavaScript from his days at Netscape Communications

I mean, JS is his baby that's all there needs to be said about the person's motivations.

[-] ericflo@lemmy.ml 59 points 1 year ago

I love Brave, use it daily, and this article didn't convince me at all. Vaguely motioning at the founder's ancient political donations or the optional crypto features, doesn't make a strong case.

[-] charonn0@startrek.website 94 points 1 year ago

2008 is not ancient. Nor is same-sex marriage some minor technical legal point.

Nor has he repented.

[-] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 40 points 1 year ago

Nor has he repented.

That's the important point for me.

People can change after 20 years. But he prefers to double-down instead.

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[-] Scary_le_Poo@beehaw.org 60 points 1 year ago

Chromium should be enough of a reason to get rid of it.

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[-] Naatan@lemmy.one 46 points 1 year ago

You see, when someone is known to make bad choices it makes sense to approach what they do with apprehension. This guy not only has a history of bad choices, he's also the CEO.

You're free to do as you like of course, but I'd say it's hardly fair to say the article is unconvincing.

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[-] Gsus4@feddit.nl 53 points 1 year ago

The moment my cryptofan buddy started talking up brave, I knew it was time to uninstall.

[-] regalia@literature.cafe 51 points 1 year ago

It should've been as simple as stop using any chromium-based browser, but the CEO is also super bigoted, doing ad theft, and pushing crypto scams.

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[-] Steeve@lemmy.ca 45 points 1 year ago

Stop telling me what to do

[-] ulkesh@beehaw.org 44 points 1 year ago

Now it makes sense why some of the Fox News-parroting, right wing people I know use Brave. I had no idea about what the author mentioned about the browser, I just know it is based on Chromium which I will not use. Thus, I am on Firefox. And for many reasons, including those the author laid out, I'm happy I chose wisely.

[-] emptyother@programming.dev 42 points 1 year ago

Don't need to tell me twice. I've distrusted Brave since I saw their advertisement for it. It just feels like they sell the browser in same mood as pyramid schemers does their products.

But its just my gut feeling. Got no good reason why people should avoid the browser. And because the CEO is an ass isn't a good enough reason for most people.

[-] Janis@feddit.de 38 points 1 year ago

if you useanything alphabet like chromium, then YOU are the problem.

[-] acastcandream@beehaw.org 76 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think it’s pretty unfair to put all of the blame on everyone who uses a chromium browser, considering that most people with a computer have no idea what the hell you are talking about.

Google Chrome is the single most popular web browser. Everyone’s work uses it, everyone’s school uses it, why would they possibly question it? And then they discover a new browser someone recommended - why would they look into “chromium” and what it all means? It’s just not reasonable to expect of nearly the entire population at this stage.

Take your anger out on the company and educate people. This is a problem of education, not selfishness (on the part of the user).

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[-] RobotToaster@infosec.pub 33 points 1 year ago

Isn't this like the fourth time this has been posted? the conversation always goes around in circles with nobody changing their mind.

[-] retronautickz@beehaw.org 31 points 1 year ago

I never used brave. I wasn't interested in it since I learned it was chromium and all the crypto stuff.

[-] sculd@beehaw.org 26 points 1 year ago

I used to think Brave was good until I found out they are into crypto.

Nope Nope and Nope! Not using that thing again. Firefox is my friend now.

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this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
725 points (100.0% liked)

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