This is a continuation of our series of highlighting startups who share our vision in bringing data privacy and control back to the users.

As millions of users browse and access the internet, many of them unwittingly put their privacy at risk. Thousands of companies are collecting your data by the truckload using some of the most sophisticated tools on the market. Software that was once only the purview of the NSA and the KGB is now used to track all of your actions online and build a profile on you. Not because you’ve done anything wrong, but because they can sell that data to other companies who are willing to pay top dollar for marketing data on you, personally.

What are they doing with my data?

Just today, as I was writing this article, I got an ad from 7-Eleven on my phone that said, if I buy six bottles of Fiji Water, I’ll get the seventh one free

In a vacuum, there’s nothing wrong with telling me that there’s a discount on water, but what’s scary is that I’m getting this ad right now, after recently switching to Fiji water from Dasani. Just this morning, I scanned my loyalty ID on the 7-Eleven app when I purchased a couple of bottles.

And sure, 7-Eleven knowing that I drink Fiji water isn’t really a problem, I don’t care if anybody knows that. But what if it was a pharmacy holding data on medical conditions I may (or may not) have? What about the case of mental healthcare websites selling user data so that advertisers could try and sell products to people struggling with mental illness? Where does it end?

And that’s the real issue. Your shopping and browsing habits tell a lot about you as a person. With even a sample of data about you, algorithms can figure out everything about you, from your age, gender, occupation, political opinions, to your sexuality, and more.

These advertisers having this data is bad enough, but what about everyone with access to the dark web and a couple of bitcoin in their pocket being able to know everything about you? Companies are fallible, and their cybersecurity is even more so. Some of the largest companies on Earth, from Facebook to Equifax, and even government agencies like the IRS, have had their servers hacked into and had their data stolen. Even sadder, is that sometimes it doesn’t even take a hacker to break in. In the case of MoviePass, they just left a server with customer details and credit card numbers exposed with no encryption or password protecting it.

You need to start protecting your data when you browse because these companies scooping it up certainly aren’t protecting you. And that’s where Brave comes in…

Brave is an open-source web browser that protects your data from unwanted third-party collection. Unlike some of the more complicated solutions like VPNs, Brave still prioritizes privacy and security, but with an emphasis on simplicity. Available on web, iOS, and Android devices, Brave’s cross-platform functionality means you can be protected no matter how you browse.

With features that protect you across multiple avenues of attack, Brave is the best way to keep your privacy safe online. From simple features like adblocking to more advanced ones like cookie control, forcing HTTPS, script blocking, and fingerprinting prevention, Brave is the comprehensive protection you need.

If Brave’s privacy and security features don’t have you convinced, then the notable increase in browsing speed will. In comparison to other browsers, Brave is up to six times (yes, SIX!) faster on popular websites!

Chrome, the most used browser accounting for more than half of all web traffic, was put up against Brave in a speed test. The results showed that Brave was two times faster than Chrome on the web and a whopping eight times faster on mobile! With advantages like this, it’s hard to justify using anything else.

However, Brave’s vision goes beyond just raw improvements in speed and security; Brave is a new way of thinking about how the web works. And much like AXEL, is about giving the power of choice and data custody back to the user.

And with Brave’s recent release of version 1.0, there’s no better time to get involved and start taking your privacy seriously!

Even if this hasn’t convinced you to switch to Brave, you can’t ignore the fact that the sheer quantity of groups trying to take your data is drastically increasing. Millions of online surveillance and tracking cookies are installed every second. It is essential to understand the weight and impact our digital footprint has on our lives. In this digital age, data is gold, and our data should remain ours, not become a public reservoir for the profit of other companies and corporations.

Your Data. Back in Your Hands.