Have any questions about using the Brave browser?
Have any questions about using the Brave browser?
I have been using Brave Browser for a few year. I do like the privacy focus of it...
(Though I don't like their crypto rewards and crypto wallet part has it seems they do everything so that it's hard to use or recover at some point.)
But I'm encountering more and more issues with web sites that simply won't work with it. It seems like actually most sites work well in it, but sites with "big" services tend to be impossible to use it... (what I mean by big services... not really public sites... but services your can't really do without), such as:
- The site of a big bank in my country (impossible to log in)
- Site of the biggest (historical) phone and Internet provider in the country (had various issues that required workaround)
- Some jobboard site (impossible to log in).
- TomTom's (GPS manufacturer) site (crash and impossible to load)
(OK, now, this one is now working in Brave Browser)
And by the way, when contact their customer services, providing JavaScript error logs, the only things they are able to reply most of the times are things like "you have to click on login" or "you need to use Edge/Chrome" ... or yet "you have to use the app" (like they don't care about their website anymore) (The customer service from from the big Internet provider even claims that I HAD to accept all commercial cookies in order to be able to download invoices. Which turned out not to be true actually ...)
So is it that all these companies are so data-hungry (or rely on data angry services) that they all do mischievous stuff behind your browser? Or is Brave Browser getting too restrictive?
I had a comparable issue when trying to drive daily, and it was strange because at that moment an auto parts store wasn't working on the mobile version of Brave, but it did on the desktop. I faced similar problems with my bank and work site when trying to get my schedule—it either didn't work or had odd rendering issues. I don’t know if Brave is intentionally blocking everything.
The problem with websites lies in the ability of the website administrator to control access, determining who may connect and who cannot. There are various approaches to achieve this, but one common method involves the browser being used. If a browser is blacklisted by the site administrator, it becomes impossible to reach that site. Here, I believe the concern stems from this situation. Because Brave has limited market presence, it's straightforward for administrators to block it, encouraging users to switch to more popular browsers.
The reasons behind blocking certain browsers can vary. The browser may be insecure or interfere with the website, there might be royalty payments favoring specific browsers (like Google paying to promote Chrome), or trackers could be disabled.
I personally use Firefox and rely on various extensions to ensure my browsing remains secure.
I thought about this too, but in those situations it's not a straightforward "clean can't connect" with user dialog scenarios—it's more likely related to JavaScript errors (on purpose? I don’t know). My concern is that tracking services might not have accounted for cases where users prefer not to be tracked. Still, I’m curious whether Brave is being overly cautious or if those sites are doing it incorrectly overall. Probably the latter is more accurate.
What value does a browser bring when it limits the sites you can access? In my opinion, this is significantly worse than other browsers that don’t impose such restrictions. Particularly considering the websites you’re engaging with are safe and part of everyday life.
I recommend abandoning Brave entirely and considering these alternatives:
* Tor (useful for anonymous browsing)
* Firefox with security extensions (currently I use: Decentralizeyes, uBlock Origin, HTTPS Everywhere, NoScript, Malwarebytes Browser Guard)
NoScript offers a high level of customization but requires time to learn. By default, it blocks all scripts, which can disrupt the website functionality. This provides strong protection, though it demands careful adjustment to allow only safe scripts and keep the site working properly.
I don’t recommend NoScript for most users because of its complexity and the risk of breaking websites. However, once mastered, it becomes the top choice for security and protection.
Malwarebytes Browser Guard is included in the Malwarebytes Premium package. It continuously monitors your activity and blocks harmful scripts or entire sites, preventing malware from compromising your PC. <- This requires a subscription. Malwarebytes also provides a VPN feature within their Premium plan, which I have opted against.
In summary, today, maintaining cybersecurity expertise is essential if you aim to keep malware-free on your system.
In this context it seems to challenge Brave because it presumes Brave stops you from accessing the website. However, that's not the case. It appears to block various trackers, essentially functioning as a browser with privacy features built in. If the sites depend heavily on problematic trackers, it might be the site owners' responsibility.
For Tor, I believe it provides an additional level of anonymity that goes beyond simple ad or tracking blocks—though I haven't used it extensively yet, I might explore it further out of curiosity.
I’m not focusing much on malware here; my existing antivirus and security tools manage that well. What I’m aiming for is mainly reducing unwanted tracking.
Another method I’ve used to restrict site tracking is to access certain sites only through a virtual machine, which I can reset by restoring data from a backup.
Currently, it's up to everyone whether to use or visit a website. Website administrators can adjust and restrict access according to their preferences, as they own the site. If a specific browser, like Brave, causes problems, then the concern lies with the site and the browser compatibility. Overall, you might share your problem in Brave's dedicated forums and seek help from the developers there.
So I shared my inquiry on the Brave community forum, but it has remained "pending" for days without approval. (I think they need a more detailed technical question.)
My account has received the "Basic" badge, which "Grants all essential community functions."
However, I can't reply to any posts—I don't see a "reply" option.
I also wanted to ask another question related to Brave Rewards or my Brave wallet, but I no longer find the button to post a new question. Great system!
We do not provide support for Brave forums. Completely different entity.
Brave also has Reddit thread. Might want to try there:
https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/
Recap the whole topic: severe issues with Brave browser, 0 support from the devs (or Brave community).
Why still keep using it?
🤔
I don't expect "support" in this case, though other user experiences might help.
Thanks for pointing out the Reddit—it could be a better choice.
"Why continue using it?" I'm beginning to wonder, but I haven't yet "replied." First of all, I use it because I appreciate the "one-stop-shop" tracking blocker idea.