Brave enjoyed a credible reputation among the users as it focused on users’ privacy. However, recently, it landed in hot water due to a mistake that infuriated the users. As revealed, Brave browser used to redirect users to affiliate links without a hint.
Brave Browser Redirected To Affiliate Links
Reportedly, Brave browser recently enraged everyone as users noticed it redirecting to affiliate links automatically. Affiliate programs like jvzoo and others let you earn money by directing users to their websites through your specific affiliate link.
Specifically, the glitch happened with the browser’s address bar. It began redirecting users to affiliate links automatically as a user typed a URL.
Though, Brave offers users a chance to win earn BAT (Brave Attention Token) – Brave’s cryptocurrency, in exchange for viewing ads. This way, the browser is striving to carve a business model.
Besides, it has also joined hands with Binance, Coinbase, and Trezor to earn commission via affiliate links. This is what troubled the users.
According to what a user observed, typing ‘binance.us’ would redirect the user (automatically) to the site with an affiliate link. That too, without users’ consent.
So when you are using the @brave browser and type in "binance[.]us" you end up getting redirected to "binance[.]us/en?ref=35089877" – I see what you did there mates ?
— xCR1337 (@cryptonator1337) June 6, 2020
The phenomenon happened as the browser attempted to autocomplete users’ queries. While that’s normal, redirecting to affiliate links is, however, in contrast to the usual behavior for a browser that should redirect the user only to the link typed.
The same happened with various other websites as well to which Brave has partnered for commission.
Brave CEO Admitted the ‘Mistake’ – Pledges Rectification
Following the disclosure of the matter, users were infuriated with this activity, considering it a privacy breach.
However, Brave CEO, Brendan Eich, openly admitted the ‘mistake’ explaining how it all happened in a series of tweets. He admitted that Brave is a Binance affiliate earning commission via the opt-in trading widget. However, the glitch happened because the autocomplete started adding code.
1/ We made a mistake, we're correcting: Brave default autocompletes verbatim "https://t.co/hJd0ePInEw" in address bar to add an affiliate code. We are a Binance affiliate, we refer users via the opt-in trading widget on the new tab page, but autocomplete should not add any code.
— BrendanEich (@BrendanEich) June 6, 2020
He also apologized for the browser error.
5/ The autocomplete default was inspired by search query clientid attribution that all browsers do, but unlike keyword queries, a typed-in URL should go to the domain named, without any additions. Sorry for this mistake — we are clearly not perfect, but we correct course quickly.
— BrendanEich (@BrendanEich) June 6, 2020
Moreover, amidst all this fiasco, Eich has assured that the glitch in no way compromised or breached users’ privacy.
Besides, Eich has also explained how the users may choose the autocomplete suggestions until the next update when it will be disabled by default.
FWIW there's a setting to disable the autocomplete defaults that add affiliate codes, in brave://settings first page. Current plan is to flip default to off as shown here. You can disable ahead of our release schedule if you want to. Good to hear from supporters who'll enable it. pic.twitter.com/ZgOpSsOLnX
— BrendanEich (@BrendanEich) June 6, 2020
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
