Psylo, which bills itself as a new kind of private web browser, debuted last Tuesday in Apple’s App Store, one day ahead of a report warning about the widespread use of browser fingerprinting for ad tracking and targeting.

It was a fortuitous coincidence.

Psylo for iOS and iPadOS was created by Mysk, a Canada-based app biz run by software developers and security researchers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk.

“Psylo stands out as it is the only WebKit-based iOS browser that truly isolates tabs,” Tommy Mysk told The Register. "It’s not only about separate storage and cookies. Psylo goes beyond that.

“This is why we call tabs ‘silos.’ It applies unique anti-fingerprinting measures per silo, such as canvas randomization. This way two Psylo tabs opening the same website would appear as though they originated on two different devices to the opened website.”

  • Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml
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    3 months ago

    My first thought was standardization. Install all the fonts in the world (or only say you have the default Windows fonts installed), lie about the OS and say you use Windows 11, pick a standard canvas, etc.

    Randomization, that is also an approach that can work too, and probably with basically no compromises except having your activity be frequently flagged as suspicious by Proton Mail, presumably.

  • Gueoris@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I downloaded the app just to see what the interface looked like and when I got to the app, it turns out that you can’t access the app without automatically signing up for a subscription (even though there’s a free trial period, for me this is clearly a redflag).

  • Luffy@lemmy.ml
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    3 months ago

    „We ArE sOOoO pRivAtE“

    Based on closed source Webengine running on OS known for data collection™

    • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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      3 months ago

      Still, it wouldn’t be in their interest to gather data

      running on OS known for data collection™

      What? You mean Android?

      • Luffy@lemmy.ml
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        3 months ago

        Still, it wouldn’t be in their interest to gather data

        My sources say otherwise.. Apple has an interest in collecting your data.

        What? You mean Android?

        I know this is not really a thing where you come from, but here on lemmy we read the OPs text first before commenting, which also would have answered all your questions, but if you really need it: The Browser is based on Propriatery Apple Software and only runs on it

        • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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          3 months ago

          My sources say otherwise… Apple has an interest in collecting your data.

          It does for sure, but it will always be far less aggressive about it than Google. Most sensitive data is either stored in device and semi-handled there, or quickly deleted (although we know everything that goes to a USA server is likely stored forever)

          A lot of this data can be opted out on installation, which can’t really be said for Android iirc

          Android also runs Google play services and their other proprietary software with root access on your device, push the Play Integrity API which essentially locks out devices that don’t run their software with root access or dare to use non authorized roms (non authorized you say? Hmm… really similar to Apple…)

          Both OS suck big time and I can only hope Android and Apple are freed from the BS done by their owners, and app devs finally stop discriminating users for caring about their data and privacy

          but here on lemmy we read the OPs text first before commenting, which also would have answered all your questions

          This went over your head. I know the post was about Apple and I was pointing out that android is likely worse for privacy

          I know this is not really a thing where you come from

          Personal attacks. You love to see it. Really shows the kind of person you are. Why opt for verbal violence and try to discredit me?

            • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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              3 months ago

              It pretty much just sandboxes google play services. You still need to use it for many things and you can see it’s deeply integrated in many places.

              • Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works
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                3 months ago

                My main point is

                Android also runs Google play services

                is incorrect as a general statement about Android. I used GrapheneOS as an example but there are plenty of other Android ROMs that also don’t come with Google Play Services or any Google at all.

                • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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                  3 months ago

                  Did I say it did? Maybe I worded it wrong but I meant that you need to use (and install it) to use the vast majority of apps, and it’s deeply integrated, in the play store and apps… and affects many parts of android

                  If you do install it, which you probably will unless you’re okay with living 10 years in the past and losing time, then you’re pretty much back to square one

        • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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          3 months ago

          Agreed

          I’ll still argue that Apple is on paper less bad than Android, but being closed-source we never know, especially since they are willing to lie to protect their interests. They’re often hit with FUD though.

          We really need the ‘freedom’ of android and the aesthetics and ‘ease of use’ of ios, without the proprietary bullshit, vendor lock-in and the privacy nightmare

            • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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              3 months ago

              You’ll either end up installing google play services which will put you in a similar privacy nightmare, although it might not run as root anymore, or not use it and be locked out of the vast majority of apps, and at this point that’s not a modern smartphone anymore

                • FireIced@lemmy.super.ynh.fr
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                  3 months ago

                  microg might be the best bet but isn’t it a pain to make it work with graphene? Graphene pushes sandboxed services

                  All apps doing store verifications will keep you out though, and that’s annoying. Fuck the play integrity api