It seems as though the newly released Browazar internet browser isn’t so private after all. According to an article on the BBC’s website, not only does it direct web searches to online advertisements, but some technical experts “…also say Browzar, which claims to leave no trail of webpages visited, does not work.”
Using Internet Explorer as its basis, Browzar is a shell program that looks and feels similar to many web browsers, only one cannot change the default home page which is the Browzar search engine.
Mr. Ajaz Ahmed, founder and creator of Browzar, counters that it is not adware at all, that much like Google it’s sponsored by advertising. That and he feels that it’s default homepage setting for the Browzar search engine is simply similar to that of the Firefox open source browser.
However, unlike Google where sponsored links in the search results are segregated from those that aren’t, they show up as being part of the regular search results with no way to discern a difference between the two.
As for developers web surfing, the devleopers say that is done “…automatically by deleting all files associated with websites when the application is shut down or by not storing them in the first place.” Yet, Scott Hanselman, writing on his blog Computer Zen, “…claims to have been able to find records of websites he had visited with the program installed. ‘Browzar, at least this version, is totally not doing what it says it does.’”
Whether the BBC or Mr. Ahmed is right about Browzar’s true anonymity is anybody’s guess, but there is certainly something to it’s “doctored” search results.
Notice below where I used the search query “sports” in both browsers.
First is the Browzar internet browser. Look at how there’s not even anything remotely related to sports in the top 10 results. In fact the top result is a half-price deal for SkyTv.
(click image to enlarge)
Now look at the results for sports in the Firefox browser, where search queries are powered by Google. The very first result is ESPN. Case closed.
(click image to enlarge)
So what’s the moral of the story? Steer clear of this Browzar internet browser, and if you haven’t already I’d switch over to Mozillla’s Firefox. The fact that it’s open source and not ad-revenue supported speaks volumes about the quality and integrity of it’s product.
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