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Privacy Settings: Do not report to Google by default
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As a privacy focused browser the default privacy settings should not be reporting user browsing habits back to google by default - any reporting to a third-party should be opt-in.
This is especially important as Google are arguably the worst abuser of personal data and privacy invaders on the whole internet, and are repeat offenders when it comes to privacy breaches with no effective regulatory oversight.
Google Phishing and Malware Protection - reports all URL's back to google for data harvesting. Should be disabled by default.
Use a Google DNS Service to Help Resolve Navigation Errors - deliberately attempts to circumvent DNS protections elsewhere in the network (for example using Quad9 to filter malware etc). I only caught that Vivaldi was doing this because alerts started popping up on my firewall. Should be disabled by default.
Use a Google Service to Assist in Form Autofill - again reports information on browsing habits back to Google. Should be disabled by default.
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Google Phishing and Malware Protection
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.2 seems like a better option, though it won't protect you as much. You can upvote my request for a native/client-side malware blocker here: https://forum.vivaldi.net/post/457046. However, some users will still want this. Maybe it should be an option to switch on/off the first time you start Vivaldi. -
Google DNS Service
This could be turned off by default without causing problems. -
I believe form autofill only sends metadata/analytics back to Google, not your actual typing data. (Correct me if I am wrong) Still, Vivaldi should edit the chromium code to stop this from happening, and then we can leave the feature on.
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Cloud Print (a service to attach printers to Google Accounts) could also be disabled by default since it is unnecessary, though the top three are more important.
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So, I think you mistake that Vivaldi is a privacy-FOCUSED browser. Rather, it is a feature-focused browser that offers good privacy options and which, as company policy, does not collect your data. This last thing is what it promises - it does not, as a company, collect or care about your data. On the other hand, it is impossible to keep websites and service providers from collecting and monetizing the data you make available to them, and so Vivaldi makes no such promise. It only offers privacy options, which a user (at their own risk, as some of these may break certain services - which is why they are NOT in "private" mode by default) may select. Otherwise, Vivaldi does not care about, does not want, does not collect, and does not monetize your data. It's a feature-rich browser that does not make a profit from your data.
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