UBUNTU AND BRAVE: A PATH TO A "MOSTLY" NO-TRACKING SYSTEM
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Published: January 5, 2025
Author: Daniel Conderman
Context: Recovered Conderman.Group privacy and computing guide
Original URL: https://conderman.group/2025/01/ubuntu-and-brave-a-path-to-a-mostly-no-tracking-system/


For people seeking an approachable way to regain some control of their data,
Ubuntu and Brave can form a useful, if imperfect, foundation. Ubuntu offers a
user-friendly Linux environment and an alternative to proprietary operating
systems. Brave blocks many ads and trackers by default and offers cookie and
private-browsing controls.


GETTING STARTED
---------------

An old laptop is a good place to experiment without risking a primary machine.

  1. Download an Ubuntu LTS release from ubuntu.com.
  2. Use Rufus on Windows or Balena Etcher on Mac or Linux to write the ISO to
     a USB drive.
  3. Restart and use the laptop's boot-menu key (often F12, Esc, or Delete) to
     boot from USB.
  4. Use Ubuntu's trial mode to test the interface and hardware first.
  5. Back up important data, then install alongside the existing system or on
     an erased disk.
  6. Install Brave using the vendor's current supported instructions.


TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR DIGITAL IDENTITY
---------------------------------------

System and browser privacy are only part of the problem. Owning a domain and
controlling email reduces dependence on large providers. Self-hosting requires
skill and upkeep; a privacy-oriented hosted provider may be more practical.
Nextcloud for files and Signal for communications are other alternatives to
centralized data stores.

Clear stored cookies when appropriate and use separate private sessions for
sensitive activity. Avoid giving a primary email address to every site; aliases
limit how widely it spreads. Choose extensions sparingly and from trusted
sources, since they can create privacy and security risks of their own.

Leaving an integrated ecosystem is difficult. Small changes still help: adopt
open-source applications where suitable, keep local backups, and avoid giving
one company every part of your digital life.

No desktop and browser combination makes a person invisible. Ubuntu and Brave
are a beginning, not a guarantee. Careful sharing, good configuration, updates,
and informed service choices matter just as much.