Ask Dave Taylor
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • YouTube Videos
  • Top Categories
  • Subscribe via Email
  • Ask A Question
  • Meet Dave
  • Home
  • Linux Help
  • How Can I Improve Web Browsing Privacy on Linux?

How Can I Improve Web Browsing Privacy on Linux?

May 6, 2020 / Dave Taylor / Linux Help / 1 Comment

I’ve moved to a Linux system and am trying to increase my privacy and security. What are my best options to be able to surf the Web without being tracked and monitored?

Regardless of what operating system you’re using, there are some standard ways you can improve your privacy and cut down on tracking and monitoring while online. And lest you think that this is only an issue for a specific platform, companies are tracking us across every device, from your smart speaker to your smartphone-enabled car navigation system to your computer. It’s easy and big companies love big data from which they can analyze and extract your shopping and behavioral patterns. So they can have you buy more stuff, of course. Yeah, put that way, not so appealing, is it?

Savvy users are trying to slow the process down or at least have some greater level of control over the experience. Google Chrome? Google makes most of its money selling targeted ads, so it’s got a vested interest in tracking you, not ensuring you remain private and anonymous. Apple? They just want you to buy more gear. Microsoft? Yeah. And on and on the list goes. It’s tough to regain control over your data!

The main ways to hide your tracks and gain a level of anonymity and privacy is to install a virtual private network and to switch to a privacy-centric Web browser. There are a couple of choices, but Brave is a solid option and the gold standard remains The Onion Router’s Tor Browser, which bounces every query off multiple servers spread throughout the world.

For a VPN on your Linux system, I have to admit, I’m partial to ExpressVPN, which can also work on your phone, Mac or Windows PC and other devices too. Simply go to the ExpressVPN home page and there’s a download link:

download expressvpn for linux

It’s super easy to set up and get started, but it is a pay service. Then again, is your privacy worth a non-zero amount to you?

You can also switch to the Brave web browser from Chrome or Firefox too. It’s easy, it’s a nicely designed – and fast – browser, and while it might have fewer extensions than Chrome, that’s a small price to pay for increased privacy:

download brave web browser for linux

If you’re really intent on having maximal privacy, however, then you should switch to the TOR Browser. Yes, The Onion Router is an odd name, but the idea behind the system is that, like an onion, you have to keep peeling off layers to get from A to B. From experience, it’s excellent for sidestepping national censorship systems in countries like China and Iran, but even for regular Linux (and other OS) users, it’s a good browser to have available if you want maximal privacy from your own computer.

To start, jump over to the Tor Project Web site and click the appropriate download link:

download tor web browser

The Linux installation process is a bit confusing and clumsy, so let’s go through the steps needed.

Once you click on the “Download for Linux” it’ll download what’s known in Linux circles as a tarball, a compressed TAR archive with the filename suffix of .tar.xz:

download tor web browser for linux?

You can choose the default program to open it, which will uncompress and unpack the folder. That then shows up in the Linux file browser:

linux tor browser - downloaded - ready to install

Dig into the orange folder a few levels and you’ll finally get to the program launcher:

linux tor browser - downloaded - installer

Does it say “click to launch”? No. But it’s the file labeled “start-tor-browser.desktop”. Okay, not too far off. Anyway, double click on it and you’ll be prompted to authorize an untrusted app:

linux - safe to run unknown app?

I trust Tor so encourage you to click on “Trust and Launch“, though you get to make your own mind up about this.

Proceeding? Next step is this display:

first launch - tor browser

If you are in a country where there are censorship gateways involved, you might want to do some configuration (a quick DuckDuckGo search will reveal pages that offer optimal Tor Browser settings) as suggested, but for most users, a click on “Connect” will work fine…

This is where it gets interesting. I’ll go to MSN.COM and you can see, the site assumes I’m based in a German speaking country:

msn.com through tor browser - linux - in german

What’s going on? This is Tor doing its job of routing my request for a Web page through multiple intermediaries. You can even see the route involved by clicking on the tiny “i” to the left of the secure page padlock symbol:

tor web browser identity route display linux

So from MSN’s perspective, I’m not sitting in Colorado, USA, but actually in Germany. If someone were to trace my query path backwards, they’d find that I’m in France. No, Sweden. No — if they can travel back that far — I’m in the USA. Cool, eh. And if you don’t like that route and want to try another one, click on the blue “New Circuit for this Site” and it’ll find a new path.

Between all of these tools you can definitely up your privacy game with your online explorations on your Linux or other computer. Stay safe out there!

Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about Linux (and Unix before it) for a very long time. Please check out my extensive Linux help area for lots more useful tutorials and tips!

About the Author: Dave Taylor has been involved with the online world since the early days of the Internet. Author of over 20 technical books, he runs the popular AskDaveTaylor.com tech help site. You can also find his gadget reviews on YouTube and chat with him on Twitter as @DaveTaylor.

Let’s Stay In Touch!

Never miss a single article, review or tutorial here on AskDaveTaylor, sign up for my fun weekly newsletter!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please enter all required fields
Correct invalid entries
No spam, ever. Promise. Powered by FeedBlitz
Please choose a color:
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!
brave browser, brave linux, expressvpn, linux privacy, online privacy, online safety, tor browser, tor browser linux, vpn for linux

One comment on “How Can I Improve Web Browsing Privacy on Linux?”

  1. Mirko says:
    September 24, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    Good article! Everything I use too. Linux, always active VPN with Express VPN, Brave Browser and if necessary TOR.

    Greetings from Germany!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Recent Posts

  • How to Check Energy Recommendations on your Windows Laptop
  • How Do I Customize New Tab Windows in Safari for Mac?
  • Can AI-Generated ChatGPT Text Be Accurately Identified?
  • How to Perform a Microsoft Account Security Audit and Checkup
  • How Can I Customize My Linux Dock / Taskbar?

On Our YouTube Channel

How to: Replace a Switchbot Door Sensor Battery

EMEET Luna vs INNOTRIK Studio Bluetooth Speakerphones -- DEMOS & REVIEW

Categories

  • AdSense, AdWords, and PPC Help (106)
  • Amazon, eBay, and Online Shopping Help (163)
  • Android Help (226)
  • Apple iPad Help (147)
  • Apple Watch Help (53)
  • Articles, Tutorials, and Reviews (346)
  • Auto Tech Help (15)
  • Business Advice (200)
  • ChromeOS Help (31)
  • Computer & Internet Basics (778)
  • d) None of the Above (166)
  • Facebook Help (383)
  • Google, Chrome & Gmail Help (188)
  • HTML & Web Page Design (247)
  • Instagram Help (49)
  • iPhone & iOS Help (623)
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help (173)
  • Kindle & Nook Help (99)
  • LinkedIn Help (88)
  • Linux Help (173)
  • Linux Shell Script Programming (89)
  • Mac & MacOS Help (911)
  • Most Popular (16)
  • Outlook & Office 365 Help (33)
  • PayPal Help (68)
  • Pinterest Help (54)
  • Reddit Help (19)
  • SEO & Marketing (82)
  • Spam, Scams & Security (95)
  • Trade Show News & Updates (23)
  • Twitter Help (220)
  • Video Game Tips (66)
  • Web Site Traffic Tips (62)
  • Windows PC Help (947)
  • Wordpress Help (206)
  • Writing and Publishing (72)
  • YouTube Help (47)
  • YouTube Video Reviews (159)
  • Zoom, Skype & Video Chat Help (62)

Archives

Social Connections:

Ask Dave Taylor


Follow Me on Pinterest
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Instagram


AskDaveTaylor on Facebook



microsoft insider mvp


This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this site or on any linked site. Further, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to our terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site. Our lawyer says "Thanks for your cooperation."
© 2023 by Dave Taylor. "Ask Dave Taylor®" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Systems, LLC.
Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions - Accessibility Policy