Distinguish between what test have its outcome influenced by user configuration

[kawazoe]

While most people might be running their web browser with vanilla configurations, a very large amount of people, and specially the privacy focused ones, will be using extensions or simple config changes to improve their privacy. A simple change such as installing an ad blocker or noscript extension can have drastic impacts on some of the tests included on the site. This is potentially misleading as some less savvy people might look at the list and pick brave over tor, simply because it has more green check marks.

I don't know what the best solution is here, but it could either include a sensible and disclosed hardened config to be tested, or simply flag tests that can have their result impacted by user configuration or extensions.

[davidcollini]

Maybe there can be a separate icon next to the checkmark or X that has a note when you hover over it on how to change the config in the browser settings or with extensions (if this applies to every web browser, the new icon should be on the left)

[notDavid]

I agree, the fact that the website does not even mention the tests are only relevant to the default settings, is a major oversight... It does not reflect reality after all.

[TaxingAuthority]

Commenting to add support. The people that the privacy comparisons are targeted towards are the users that will make tweaks beyond the default settings. I've always been interested in a comparison of the different browsers with moderate hardening in place. Meaning simple settings changes without changing any of the experimental flags or configs.

[arthuredelstein]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you very much for the feedback. It is much appreciated. I do have plans to publish evaluations of user settings and popular extensions. See also #100.

[ryanmichaelsmith]

Any update on the plans to include popular extensions? I feel like the results are incomplete (and misleading?) without this information. Brave, for example, has a built-in ad blocker that I would imagine influences the results. Most privacy-conscious users would at least be using an ad blocker extension in any of the test browsers.