De-AMP: Cutting out Google and enhancing privacy (brave.com)

Article summary

Brave is introducing a new feature called De-AMP, which allows users to bypass Google-hosted AMP pages and visit the content's publisher directly. This move aims to protect users' privacy, security, and internet experience, as AMP is seen as harmful due to its ability to track users and give Google more control over the web. De-AMP will be enabled by default in upcoming Brave versions. The feature will rewrite links and URLs to prevent users from visiting AMP pages and redirect users away from AMP pages before they are loaded.

Main themes

• AMP and privacy
• Brave's De-AMP feature
• Browser security and extensions
• Google's control over the web
• Ad-based revenue models
• Mobile performance and optimization

What commenters say

• Some commenters believe that Mozilla should have led the way in implementing a feature like De-AMP, but instead, Brave is taking the initiative.
• There is disagreement over whether Brave's implementation of De-AMP is a significant improvement over existing extensions that can remove AMP from URLs.
• Some argue that Brave's ad-based revenue model creates a conflict of interest with protecting user privacy, while others see it as a more reliable and efficient solution.
• A few commenters question the potential impact of De-AMP on mobile performance and suggest that Brave should publish performance numbers.
• The discussion also touches on the topic of AMP's true purpose, with some believing it was designed to increase Google's ad revenue, while others see it as a way to improve website performance.
• Some commenters are skeptical of Brave's ability to protect user privacy, given its own ad-serving business model.
• There is also a discussion about the security vulnerabilities of browser extensions and how De-AMP's native implementation in Brave can mitigate these risks.