Yandex unveiled yesterday new features of its Yandex.Browser, now in beta testing, including a “high privacy level” for its users. Unlike other browsers, says the Russian company, the private version of Yandex.Browser does not send users’ information to the developer by default: “We do not get any stats or browsing data.”
“Sharing users’ information helps developers better understand their behaviour and offer them a better browsing experience,” but “the problem is that the right to make a decision whether to share this information is effectively removed from the user – few can find a pathway to customised privacy settings in a browser.”
In addition to data sharing disabled by default, the browser includes a special Stealth Mode to make it possible for the user to instantly block analytics cookies, social networks plugins etc. – and turn it on again when needed to view a full page upload.
Among Yandex.Browser’s other notable features are the freedom for users to choose the default search engine; a “safe browsing” technology that warns the user about unsafe websites; and “rich search suggestions” in the browser’s smartbox.
These “suggestions” will take the user directly to the website, or even specific page on a specific website, bypassing the search results page.
“To generate search suggestions, predict search terms and offer instant results without redirecting the user to the search results page, the browser has to share the search terms with the search provider as the user enters them into the browser’s smartbox.” This option can be disabled, but “its benefits massively outweigh privacy risks,” the company asserts.
The Russian search company says it received a lot of feedback following the release of the first alpha version of Yandex.Browser in October last year. “One of the most requested things from users all over the world, and particularly in Germany, Canada, and the US, was expanded privacy options when surfing the web.”
Yandex presents its new browser as “faster, more secure and more convenient for contemporary web surfing.” It comes in versions for Windows and Mac, available in 15 languages, including English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian.
