Blog: Brave uncovers widespread surveillance of UK citizens by private companies embedded on UK council websites

A new report from Brave reveals that people seeking help for addiction, disability, and poverty on council websites are profiled by private companies in the UK.



Brave has uncovered widespread surveillance of UK citizens by private companies embedded on UK council websites. “Surveillance on UK council websites”, a new report from Brave, reveals the extent of private companies’ surveillance of UK citizens when they seek help for addiction, disability, and poverty from their local government authorities.



None of the data collecting companies recorded in this study had received consent from the website visitor to lawfully process data.



Read the full post here: https://brave.com/ukcouncilsreport/

Blog: OK Google, don’t delay real browser privacy until 2022

Google recently announced that their Chrome Web browser will — with luck, and if a bunch of other conditions come to pass — probably start blocking third-party cookies. And they’re optimistic that, with all of Google’s engineering expertise behind the project, they should be able achieve this goal within the next two years.



Privacy-focused Web browsers like Brave and Safari have been blocking third-party cookies for years. It’s not much of a technical challenge. And blocking third-party cookies barely scratches the surface of what’s needed to protect against web tracking. Here at Brave, we’d like to congratulate the Chrome team at Google being willing to consider the possibility of deploying a basic browser privacy protection some time in the next two years.



Read the full text here: https://brave.com/ok-google/

Recap: Livestream AMA with Priyanka Murthy (CEO) & Geena Dhaliwal (CMO), Co-founders of Access79 — How Access79 is changing the way people shop for fine jewelry (+ advertiser testimonial)

Last week, Jennie and Luke from the BAT Team sat down with Priyanka Murthy, Esq., Co-Founder and CEO & Geena Dhaliwal, Co-Founder and CMO of Access79 to discuss how Access79 is changing the way people shop for fine jewelry.



During the livestream, Priyanka and Geena fielded both pre-submitted questions, as well as questions that came in from audience members through the live chat on YouTube. The pair spoke in-depth about what sets Access79 apart from other fine jewelry providers, shared the insights they’ve gained from advertising to a more tech-based audience through Brave and revealed what it was like to be one of the first luxury jewelry brands to join the platform.



In addition, Priyanka showcased some of Access79’s offerings on camera while she and Geena offered their expert advice on gift-giving to shoppers who aren’t sure where to start… just in time for Valentine’s Day!

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The winner of the BAT & Brave swag kit draw for participants in the Access79 AMA is: DappsBoi! Congratulations! (Keep an eye on your Reddit inbox for a PM from CryptoJennie about your prize!)



Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway and that partook in the AMA!

Featured Creators

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PUBG TV on YouTube

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Client Updates

Dev Channel v1.5.85

https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases/tag/v1.5.85

Beta Channel v1.4.81

https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases/tag/v1.4.81

Release Channel v.1.3.113 (New Tab Sponsorships Are Here!)

In this latest release, we’ve: added New Tab Page Sponsored Images (#7883), added the ability to opt-in to user private Brave ads for over 30 new regions (#6825), added OS level targeting for ads (#4761), updated the New Tab Page to be more dynamic (#7884), fixed issue with sync chain reset when device is offline (#3628), and much more!

https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases/tag/v1.3.113

Brave Team Tweets

DDG first party ads are not blocked in Brave, nor are Google or other search engines in general (we nullify tracking by blocking 3p scripts and cookies/storage). DDG unlike Google does not have major properties or pervasive 3rd party tracking footprint. No comparison to Google. — BrendanEich (@BrendanEich) February 5, 2020 What types of ads are blocked in Brave? And what does Duck Duck Go do differently than Brave?

See https://t.co/iUWGDcDb40. We prototyped on bitcoin and same laws applied, they apply no matter what digital asset is used to do revenue sharing flows that don’t map to on-chain user to creator sends.



We are adding multi chain support for latter, but user must provide funds. https://t.co/8SB2IjxsUb — BrendanEich (@BrendanEich) February 5, 2020 Why not use Bitcoin instead of BAT?

I just bought gas with a debit card from @UpholdInc, funded by ads I viewed in @brave. Let me repeat that; I just converted Brave Ads into gas for my vehicle! The same Brave wallet I use to tip content creators was used to put gas into my car. People, this is a game changer! pic.twitter.com/trLyHBRha5 — Sampson (@jonathansampson) February 6, 2020 We’re using ads to power the future of web browsing and… fueling your car?

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

It's not just about the browser

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

It's about bringing People a New Internet

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

That respects 'users', by remembering that they are People

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Your New Internet Begins with @Brave🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/muyRKhq53Y — Luke Mulks | lukemulks.eth (@lukemulks) February 6, 2020 Luke spittin’ fire (emojis).

That's ultimately what it's about:



Giving People control and agency, by putting a hard stop to forces that have spent the past decade(s) brainwashing people into believing that privacy invasion by default is the only path for a free web. — Luke Mulks | lukemulks.eth (@lukemulks) February 6, 2020 Brave gives people control. We fight the baddies of the tracking world.

JavaScript inventor and @Brave's CEO @BrendanEich calls on Elizabeth Denham @ICOnews to finally act against RTB and adtech in his foreword. pic.twitter.com/5rZUb72FE9 — Johnny Ryan (@johnnyryan) February 4, 2020 Brendan telling the ICO to get it together.

A bit more about the ads viewed: They're opt-in, I control how many are shown per hour, they are matched client-side (so no data leaves my device), and they pay me 70% of the ad-share revenue. Plus, they respect OS-level settings like Do not Disturb and Focus Assist. So great. — Sampson (@jonathansampson) February 6, 2020 How do Brave ads work?

News You Should Know

The Guardian: Councils let firms track visits to webpages on benefits and disability

Councils are sharing information about users of their websites – including when they seek help with a benefit claim, or with a disability or alcoholism – with dozens of private companies.



More than 400 local authorities allowed at least one third-party company to track individuals who visit their sites, an investigation has revealed.



Read the full text here: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/feb/04/councils-let-firms-track-visits-to-webpages-on-benefits-and-disability

CNET: Teens have figured out how to mess with Instagram’s tracking algorithm

Mosley and her high school friends in Maryland had figured out a way to fool tracking by the Facebook-owned social network. On the first visit, her Explore tab showed images of Kobe Bryant. Then on a refresh, cooking guides, and after another refresh, animals.



“I’ve never looked at animals on this account,” Mosley mentioned in Washington, DC. At the hacker conference Shmoocon, along with her father, Russell Mosley, she’d just given a presentation on how teens were keeping their accounts private from Instagram.



Read the full text here: https://www.cnet.com/news/teens-have-figured-out-how-to-mess-with-instagrams-tracking-algorithm/

NBC News: Can privacy be big business? A wave of startups thinks so.

Privacy-focused technology companies are offering a variety of services, from personal data scrubbing to business-focused software meant to help companies comply with the law.



Read the full text here: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/can-privacy-be-big-business-wave-startups-thinks-so-n1128626

Roaring Fans

…I switched over to @brave browser on my phone, tablet, and computer. very happy. — country by nature (@penz87) February 6, 2020

From Reddit: