I’ve been a power user of Firefox since its launch twenty years ago – here’s why it’s still better than Chrome and Safari
It was my birthday a few weeks ago, and as if that didn’t make me feel old enough, the Firefox browser 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 around. I picked it up in the mid-1990s and loaded it onto every computer I’ve used in the years since.
All this time, I’ve stuck with Firefox through thick and thin (and through Chrome’s increasing dominance). It’s clear to me that Firefox has always done some things much better than rivals like Chrome and Safari – things that these web browsers will probably never match.
From the moment I started using Firefox, I was drawn to it by its strong stance on privacy. It has always been important to me that my data remains my property and is not sold to anyone else for profit. It’s not always possible to prevent this, but with Firefox it’s a lot easier.
That’s because Firefox blocks all kinds of trackers that can invade your privacy and follow you around the web. Cookies are isolated to prevent them from gaining a detailed picture of you, and Firefox limits access to data that could be used to create a digital ‘fingerprint’ of your browsing habits by less scrupulous websites and services.
That’s just a superficial scratch privacy-protecting featuresand I’m still happy to have them at my disposal when I use the Internet.
Chrome’s privacy problem
Take a look at Google Chrome and the contrast is stark. Chrome does not block trackers by default, nor does it offer fingerprint blocking. It monitors the websites you visit and uses this data to send you targeted advertisements. While you can block some of the identified topics, you cannot prevent other ad topics from being found to share with websites. It’s going to sell your private information whether you want it to or not.
While Google has considered implementing pro-privacy features, it has often backtracked as it became clear how much of an impact this could have on third-party advertisers and data brokers. Just look at the Privacy Sandbox, which Google has significantly toned down, or the way Google often uses so-called dark patterns to trick you into sharing as much of your data as possible.
Ultimately, we shouldn’t be surprised by Chrome’s behavior. Google runs the largest advertising network in the world and has a built-in incentive to invade 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 information safe hurts the bottom line. After all, money talks.
Things are different for Firefox because it was developed by Mozilla, a group that puts privacy first in its work. Firefox is also open source, so you know exactly what you’re getting without having to worry about hidden nasties that might find their way 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 company also delivers on what it promises, even if its features could hurt its ability to monetize its users.
In contrast, it’s clear that this is absolutely not the case with Chrome, and never will be the case. I know which browser I prefer to trust.
Why don’t I just use Safari?
If privacy is a priority for me, why didn’t I switch to Apple’s Safari browser? There’s an argument for doing this: Like Mozilla, Apple is known for its pro-privacy stances. Safari is also generally faster than Firefox, offering 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 daily life, so I need something that works on every device I own. Safari can’t do that, and given how disappointing Safari for Windows was when it existed, I doubt Apple is too concerned about expanding the browser beyond its own products.
In contrast, I can get Firefox on all my devices and it will be set up exactly as I expect, with all the extensions, bookmarks and tabs exactly 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 arrives immediately, so I can pick up where I left off no matter what device I’m using.
It’s that combination of cross-platform compatibility and rock-solid privacy credentials that keeps me using Firefox twenty years later.
Add to that 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 twenty years under my belt, I imagine I’ll still be using Firefox in another twenty years.
