[Discussioni] Fwd: New Safari privacy measure still doesn't measure up to GNU IceCat

[Francesco Potortì]

------- Start of forwarded message -------
Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:45:24 -0400
From: "Georgia Young, FSF" <info at fsf.org>
Subject: New Safari privacy measure still doesn't measure up to GNU IceCat

**Read online: <https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/intelligent-tracking-prevention-new-safari-privacy-measure-still-doesnt-measure-up-to-gnu-icecat>**     

Dear Free Software Supporter,

In September, Apple included a new privacy feature in its Safari Web
browser as part of its latest iOS and macOS updates. Called
"intelligent tracking prevention," it keeps certain Web sites from
tracking users around the Web, effectively blocking the ads that
follow wherever you browse.

Safari is not free software, so while Apple has taken a step in the
right direction by trying to help computer users avoid being tracked
by advertisers, it's not enough (and it doesn't negate the fact that
[there are many other reasons to avoid Apple][0]). And although being
able to avoid third-party cookies is the best anti-tracking measure a
Web browser can offer, Safari and other widely used browsers,
including Chrome, Chromium, Mozilla, and Internet Explorer, all still
allow them. (Riseup offers a useful [browser privacy scorecard][1]
that evaluates some of the most popular Web browsers.)

[0]:https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/apple
[1]:https://riseup.net/en/security/network-security/better-web-browsing/browser-score-card

Fortunately, there is a better option for privacy-respecting Web
browsing: [GNU IceCat][2].

[2]:https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/

GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser, and when it
comes to protecting your privacy as you browse the Web, it is a better
choice for you than Safari because:

* First, GNU IceCat is free software, as is Firefox. Safari is
  not. Because anybody can inspect the code of a free software
  package, none of the package's activities are kept secret -- if free
  software was spying on you, then you -- or anyone -- could discover that
  by looking at the code.

* GNU IceCat includes [GNU LibreJS][3], which addresses the problem of
  [proprietary JavaScript][4] by easily identifying it, allowing users
  to avoid it.

[3]:https://www.gnu.org/software/librejs/
[4]:https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/javascript-trap.html

* GNU IceCat also includes the [HTTPS Everywhere][5] extension, which encrypts
  your communications with many major Web sites, making your browsing
  more secure.

[5]:https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere

* And it includes SpyBlock, based on Adblock Plus, which blocks
  privacy trackers while browsing, and blocks all third-party requests
  when in private browsing mode.

* GNU IceCat also prevents the leaking of private information through
  referers. Referer logging tells the Web server what page linked you
  to your current request. No widely used browsers aside from IceCat
  address this issue, and even some lesser-known, privacy-oriented
  browsers let this information slip through.

* Finally, GNU IceCat includes fingerprinting countermeasures. A
  fingerprint is information collected about your computer in order to
  identify it, even when cookies are turned off.

If you haven't tried out GNU IceCat, go for it! You only have greater
privacy -- and freedom -- to gain. You can also contribute to [the
IceCat manual][6], making it easier for others to start using this
browser.

[6]:https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:IceCat/icecat-help 

Happy hacking, 

Georgia Young  
Program Manager
- -- 
* Follow us at <https://status.fsf.org/fsf>. 
* Subscribe to our RSS feeds at <https://fsf.org/blogs/RSS>.
* Join us as an associate member at <https://www.fsf.org/jf>.

Sent from the Free Software Foundation,

51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1335
UNITED STATES
------- End of forwarded message -------