bobbiiJul 31, 2023
I just took a moment to try out #Arc, a new #browser for #macOS. After installation, you're immediately forced to handover your email address to create an account. There's no trial setting. Then when you're in, there's no way to log out or update that data (unless I missed it somewhere). I assume this means you can just come up with a fake address to try it out. 1/n
Show threadbobbii

From a #UX perspective I find #Arc to be unintuitive and too much pre-setup to feel secure as a main browser. The cookie whitelisting is nice but I assume standard for Chromium? Firefox by the way offers the same whitelisting setting.

Apropos settings, many options are preset to allow, including saving passwords and payment services. You can disable it, but due to the messy #UI I doubt many will.

The look, while nice, comes straight from the Figma styleguide. 2/n

Jul 31, 2023 at 5:26pmWeb
Show threadbobbiiJul 31, 2023

Uninstalled the #Arc #browser with #AppCleaner (https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/) 3000+ files/folders in all. I additionally used EasyFind to find the final bit and pieces (https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware)

tl;dr Not a fan and now hoping that support will actually delete my data 😬 3/

AppCleaner

Show threadbobbiiAug 1, 2023

Update: 3 data removal requests later –sent to 3 different email addresses, no one reached out for support.

#Arc #ArcBrowser

Show threadbobbiiAug 3, 2023
Just got the confirmation mail for my account deletion request from July 31. I see that some people are really convinced by the #ArcBrowser and I can understand. From a #privacy and #security perspective, absolutely not so.
Show threadPaul HulfordAug 4, 2023
@barbara what about their privacy and security perspective do you find bad?
Show threadbobbiiAug 4, 2023

@paulhulford You cannot use the browser fully private because an email address is required. But, and as someone pointed out that *may* be a remnant from beta testing, that address is never requested later, nor is there some sort of confirmation mail from #Arc. That means anyone can use anyone else's address. Also with malicious intent.

Edit: and there's this (2nd paragraph) https://assemblag.es/@barbara/110809868745773106

barbara (@[email protected])

From a #UX perspective I find #Arc to be unintuitive and too much pre-setup to feel secure as a main browser. The cookie whitelisting is nice but I assume standard for Chromium? Firefox by the way offers the same whitelisting setting. Apropos settings, many options are preset to allow, including saving passwords and payment services. You can disable it, but due to the messy #UI I doubt many will. The look, while nice, comes straight from the Figma styleguide. 2/n

Assemblag.es
Show threadPaul HulfordAug 4, 2023
@barbara those are very good points. Over the last month or so I have become more interested in the privacy and security on the internet and have been attempting to find the best way to navigate the internet and communications. While doing some research I was astounded to find what the large corporations do with our data and now willing (yet not fulling understanding) I was of giving them my information.
Show threadbobbiiAug 4, 2023
@paulhulford Oh yes, it can be pretty disturbing finding out what the price of “free” software is (looking at you, Google, Meta, etc etc…). If you're interested in learning more, look for malwaretech here in the fediverse. And listen to the Darknet Diaries podcast https://darknetdiaries.com/
Darknet Diaries – True stories from the dark side of the Internet.