This is a continuation of my series on how to de-Google (de-Microsoft, de-Apple, de-Big Tech) your life. A prior part of this series covers browser recommendations. This piece covers browser extension recommendations.
If you go with a better browser (i.e. NOT Chrome) then you do not need many extensions since the browser itself will have decent privacy and security features built in.
Do not install extensions you do not need. Installing too many extensions can make your browsing fingerprint that much more unique, and thus make it easier to track your activity. It is akin to having a safe with 50 locks. Now everyone knows that the safe with 50 locks is yours.
Too many extensions can also slow down your browsing experience. And each additional extension can be a portal to more vulnerabilities and bugs.
For the current moment (the landscape is constantly changing) I recommend the following extensions.
uBlock Origin with more private settings to help block ads, malware, trackers, miners, popups, sus sites and more. Extensions like Privacy Badger, Ghostery, and Cookie AutoDelete are unnecessary with a good browser, because those functions will be built in to the browser itself.
My next extension recommendation is a Password Manager. I’ve covered Password Managers in past posts. A safe with locks is useless if you leave the key out.
Finally, a bonus extension you can use is a Container extension, which allows you to keep your browsing cookies, storage, and data separated by “containers.” For instance, keeping work browsing separated from social media browsing separated from news browsing. Keeping browsing instance separated can not only help with your own personal organization, but it can also keep tracing across websites down.
Remember, more is not always better for extensions. In the past, browsers did the minimum, so several extensions for security and privacy made more sense. But now, the browser itself should be more secure as a bare minimum.
As always, continuously vet any extensions you download and use.
Browsing online consists of many components, including browsers and extensions, which I have already covered. This series will also cover information on search engines, ISPs, storage, your behavior and more.