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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Just The Browser strips your browser of unwanted features.
- Just The Browser can be used with Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
- This tool is free to use and open-source.
I do not want AI in my web browser. I just don't. I also don't want companies collecting information about me, or sponsored content and product integrations. All those bits make me want to pull my hair out.
I like my privacy and want to browse, you know, the old-fashioned way.
I do use AI (on occasion), but only locally-installed AI and only for specific purposes (such as learning Python or researching a topic when I don't want to use a standard search engine).
Also:ย Want AI to work for your business? Then privacy needs to come first
I just want my tools to do what they're supposed to do and nothing more. Bells and whistles are all fine and good, but when they start getting in the way of efficiency and effectiveness, they become a problem.
That's why, when I heard about Just The Browser, I hoped I could jettison the cruft and get back to a more focused and efficient experience in my browser.
What is Just The Browser?
Just the browser strips your web browser of the things you don't want, such as AI and telemetry. It's free, easy to use, and works with the three most popular browsers (Chrome, Edge, and Firefox).ย
I was skeptical at first, but after looking through the project's GitHub repository, I was convinced that Just The Browser was worth a try.
Essentially, what Just The Browser does is apply configuration files to the browsers mentioned above, stripping them of unwanted features.
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OK, so the reality is that you can manually disable those features in the browser configuration. For example, you could open Microsoft Edge, navigate to edge://flags, and comb through the massive list of options to disable what you don't want.
Or, you can…