Privacy : does V create unique installation ID for google? Other privacy mods of SRWare's Iron?
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Hi: I installed V TP on an old XP machine to try it about a year ago, now I was thinking to install it on an everyday use machine. I came across SRWare's Iron browser, which includes, or rather leaves out, a number of privacy-related "features" of chrome. One is that apparently chrome creates a unique installation-ID which is then logged with goog. 1. Does Vivaldi create this ID and share it with goog too? You can see the SRWare Iron list of mods here: http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php 2. Which of these privacy mods has V made as well? Some of these are probably user-configurable, such as turning off search suggestions. (I don't know for sure because XP is limited to V version 1.0, so I don't know what the current version of V does, and I don't want to install it until I know the answer to questions 1 & 3 .) Another question: 3. Does V install the goog updater? Thank you in advance.
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1. No. It does install per a Unique User ID, created by the operating system, but does not share this with anyone.
2. Vivaldi has not made specific privacy mods, with the exception of not enabling any of Google's "phone home" features. It does have privacy options like turning off WebRTC, asking web sites not to track, option to use or not use Google phishing and malware protections, or whether you would LIKE to report "safe browsing" incidents to Google. More privacy features will be added as time goes on.
3. Vivaldi uses its own in-house-built updater, which is under user control. (It tells you if there's an update - you tell it if you want it.) It also just introduced its own version of incremental updates (download changes only - not the whole installer) to save bandwidth.
You might be interested to read: http://www.insanitybit.com/2012/06/23/srware-iron-browser-a-real-private-alternative-to-chrome-21/
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Thank you for that information and the link. There is some information there, and some ad-hominem venom!
Back to 1. Does Vivaldi keep this unique identifier? What does it do with it?
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It does not create a unique identifier. It uses a Unique User ID created by the operating system to encrypt certain files, making it so they can't be copied and read. the UUID is a part of the OS, not a part of Vivaldi. It is relied on to prevent certain secure files, like passwords and extensions, from being opened by any program other than by THAT user profile, on THAT machine, using Vivaldi. Hence, you can move Vivaldi profiles between machines but if you do, you will keep your bookmarks and settings, but lose your passwords, extensions, etc.
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Aye think I get it. Thanks
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Interesting vid.
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I don't have any of the Google "security" options enabled in the settings, but when I downloaded a codec pack (K-Lite Codec Pack official site) my whole screen darkened everything went to a halt and I got a small white pop-up with black small text saying how the file can be dangerous AND asked that do I even need the file anyway?
Huh.. I think the browser was phoning Google!
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I don't have any of the Google "security" options enabled in the settings, but when I downloaded a codec pack (K-Lite Codec Pack official site) my whole screen darkened everything went to a halt and I got a small white pop-up with black small text saying how the file can be dangerous AND asked that do I even need the file anyway?
Huh.. I think the browser was phoning Google!
This look like the Windows smartscreen filter, you can turn it off in the control panel, under security & maintenance.
Note: Is you are using Windows 10, the option located in the settings panel under privacy, only affect to the UWP apps. For the Win32 apps, you need to use the control panel as described above.
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I only wanted to raise the issue that Firefox when in PRIVACY MODE blocks all advertisements because they can be used for tracking, and Vivaldi/Chrome do not block advertisements in privacy mode.
Of course since Google makes a ton of money with advertisements and tracking they are not going to block any of them but it would be nice if Vivaldi had a way to make the browser block adverts in privacy mode like Firefox does.
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Why not just use an extension like uBlock?
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