Question:

Could you elucidate the distinctive features that set Iridium apart from the standard Chrome browser?

Answer:

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Navigation Error Resolution:

Iridium disables the use of a web service to help resolve navigation errors.

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Autocomplete Predictions:

The prediction service when typing in the Omnibox is disabled to prevent sending data to servers.

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Do-Not-Track Header:

Iridium always sends a “Do-Not-Track” header to request that web services do not track your browsing behavior.

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Network/DNS Prediction:

By default, network and DNS prediction services are disabled to prevent sending data to prediction servers.

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Third-Party Cookies:

The browser blocks third-party cookies by default, which are often used to track users across different websites.

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Link Auditing:

Link auditing is disabled to prevent the browser from sending pings to other websites when you click on links.

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Plugins List:

Iridium fetches its plugins list from its own servers, ensuring that it can be updated regularly without reliance on third-party services.

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Site Data Management:

Site data, such as cookies and local storage, is only kept until you exit the browser by default.

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Password Storage:

Passwords are not stored by default, encouraging the use of external password managers.

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Form Autofill:

Input form autofill is disabled by default to prevent the automatic submission of personal data.

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IPv6 Probes:

For IPv6 connectivity checks, Iridium uses a DNS root server instead of Google’s servers.

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Search Provider:

The default search provider is Qwant, a search engine that prioritizes user privacy.

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New Tab Behavior:

New tabs load “about:blank” instead of a search engine or promotions, reducing exposure to potential tracking.

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Safe Browsing Overrides:

Iridium does not report Safe Browsing overrides to Google.

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Autofill Download Service:

The browser disables the autofill download service to prevent sharing data with Google’s servers.

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Battery Status API:

The battery status API is disabled to prevent websites from tracking the battery level of your device.

User Control and Transparency:

Iridium aims to give users more control over their browsing experience and more transparency about the data being shared. It provides a range of settings that can be adjusted to further tighten privacy controls according to individual preferences.

Open Source Nature:

Being open source, Iridium’s code is available for review and contribution by anyone. This transparency allows users and developers to verify the privacy features and contribute to the browser’s development.

In summary, Iridium for Chrome offers a suite of privacy-focused features that distinguish it from standard Chrome, catering to users who prioritize their online privacy and want more control over their personal data.