Browzar: The Privacy Advocate's Web Browser?

With all the privacy issues that have surfaced in recent weeks, it's nice to see someone who's actually doing something about it instead of just complaining incessantly like me.

Browzar is a tiny tiny browser (just a 264KB download) that forgoes the frills and extras of most modern systems. In the process, it also forgoes the massive privacy risks of standard browsers: There's no web cache of downloaded pages, no history, no auto-complete, and no cookies retained after you quit a browsing session. Yes, this can be a pain, but if you're worried about privacy, it's definitely worth it. Versions are available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

To be more thorough, Browzar isn't a standalone browser, but an add-on for Internet Explorer that changes the look of IE and strips out the security holes. So no matter what OS you use, you still need to have IE installed for Browzar to work. Remember also that Browzar's inconveniences may be a real hassle: You probably don't want to use Browzar unless you have a specific privacy need. Banking, researching a medical condition... these are times when you might want to fire up Browzar. 

Note also that this does nothing for the server side of privacy: Search sites and ISPs can still keep records of your web activity. Browzar only protects you from privacy violations on your own PC: That is, it will keep prying eyes from venturing into your browsing history should they gain access to your own computer.

Thanks, Infoworld!

UPDATE: According to this site and others, Browzar may not be all it claims to be. While the software does seem to work as advertised, you can't change your home page, which directs you to Browzar's Overture-driven search engine. In other words, there is some adware in Overture, though it does fulfill its promise of offering a more secure browsing session. Still, this is underhanded enough to recommend you don't install Browzar, and I've removed the link to it for the time being. Stay tuned for additional updates, should they emerge. Sorry for the false alarm, folks.