Study reveals the most data-hungry Internet browsers

New research by Surfshark reveals the extent of data collection by popular mobile web browsers, exposing substantial disparities in their practices and raising questions about their necessity. The study, which examined ten different browsers, found that Google Chrome is the most data-intensive, collecting 20 distinct data types across various categories, including contact information, financial details, location, browsing and search history, user content, identifiers, usage data, and diagnostics. Notably, Chrome is the only browser analysed that gathers financial information, such as payment methods, bank account details, and a user's contact list from their phone or social networks. In contrast, the other nine browsers collect an average of only six data types.

Bing was identified as the second most data-hungry browser, collecting 12 different data types. Privacy-focused browsers like Brave and TOR employ a significantly more limited approach to data collection. Brave only collects identifiers and usage data, while TOR collects zero data as it is specifically designed to ensure user anonymity and prevent tracking.

The research also highlighted that 40% of the analysed browsers, specifically Safari, Chrome, and Opera, collect coarse location data, while Bing is the only one that gathers precise location information. Interestingly, 60% of the apps do not collect location data, suggesting that this information is not essential for basic browser functionality, raising questions about the reasons behind its collection by some.

Furthermore, the study revealed that Opera, Bing, and Pi Browser collect data for the purpose of third-party advertising, which includes displaying third-party ads within the app or sharing user data with third parties that show such ads. Pi Browser, Edge, and Bing also collect data for tracking purposes, potentially being sold to data brokers or used for targeted in-app advertisements.

Browsers like DuckDuckGo and Firefox were categorised as having moderate data collection practices, avoiding the collection of the most sensitive data while still gathering some information to maintain functionality. Despite the varying data collection practices, Chrome and Safari dominate the mobile browser market, holding a combined share of 90%. The report also emphasised the distinction between data collected automatically and data voluntarily provided by users, noting that a significant portion of the data gathered by Chrome is linked to integrated Google services like Search, Gmail, and Maps, which also independently collect user data. Time for a rethink about your browser of choice?