Glossary

ARCHIVED 2023-04-15, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20230415_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20230305_rev01

Full text changes — 20230305_rev01 to 20230415_rev01

COLOUR MARKS THE SEVERITY OF A FLAGGED CLAUSE · + AND − MARK ADDED AND REMOVED

 ## A
 [Ad blocker](https://brave.com/glossary/ad-blocker/)
 An ad blocker is a browser feature, or a browser extension, that prevents your Web browser from showing ads on webpages, videos, streams, podcasts, or apps. Ad blockers often improve your browsing experience, but can bring security risks.
+AMP
+[AMP](https://brave.com/glossary/amp/)
+AMP is a non-standard form of HTML developed and pushed by Google. AMP pages look like they're coming from the original publisher's site, but in fact are cached versions of these pages that live on Google's servers. This makes AMP harmful to privacy, security, and the openness of the Web. AMP pages are often slower than the original publisher versions, too.
+AMP stands for "Accelerated Mobile Pages," a limited version of HTML, developed by Google. Website owners can create AMP versions of their pages, which look like they're coming from the original publisher's site. But in fact an AMP page is a cached version of the original page that lives on Google's servers. This makes AMP harmful to privacy, security, and the openness of the Web. Google positioned AMP as a way for website owners to make their pages faster but, ironically, they're often slower than the original publisher versions.
+Anonymity
+[Anonymity](https://brave.com/glossary/anonymity/)
+When browsing the Web, anonymity means that a website can't distinguish you from other site visitors. This is related to, but distinct from, "pseudonymity" (which refers to a site being able to recognize that you visited previously, but not know you who you are individually).
+In the context of Web privacy, anonymity means that when you visit a website it can't distinguish you from any other visitor, or even know whether you've visited previously. There's an important difference between anonymity and pseudonymity, which is a related (and far more common) concept. Pseudonymity means that when you visit a website the site can tell whether you've been to the site before, and may even remember what you did in previous visits, but otherwise doesn't know anything about your real-world identity.
 ## B
+Big Tech
+[Big tech](https://brave.com/glossary/big-tech/)
+Big tech generally refers to any large technology company that makes widely-used software and hardware.
+"Big tech" is a blanket term for large tech companies that make widely used hardware and software, and generally have a huge amount of influence on technology, the Internet, and the economy as a whole. When capitalized as "Big Tech," the term often refers to five companies: Amazon, Apple, Google (or Alphabet), Meta (formerly Facebook), and Microsoft. Several of the major Internet brands you may know are actually part of these companies, such as YouTube (Google), Instagram and WhatsApp (Meta), and LinkedIn (Microsoft).
 [Bounce tracking](https://brave.com/glossary/bounce-tracking/)
 Bounce tracking is a technique used by Web trackers. It involves inserting an intermediary link between you and the website you want to visit, allowing a tracker to know you and / or your interests, and thus use this data to sell more targeted ads. This technique is also sometimes known as "redirect tracking."
 [Browser](https://brave.com/glossary/browser/)
 ## C
 [Cache](https://brave.com/glossary/cache/)
 Cache (also known as "browser cache" or "Web cache") is a temporary storage area on your device that holds copies of frequently accessed webpages, images, and other online content. Allowing your browser to store some data about previously visited websites prevents the need for future requests, and helps those sites / pages load faster the next time you visit.
+Client
+[Client](https://brave.com/glossary/client/)
+A client is the hardware or software that accesses a service on a server. Your phone, tablet, or computer-and in some cases the software on those devices, like your browser-will be considered a client.
+A client is the hardware or software that accesses a service on a server. The term "client" may refer to a person using the service, or a piece of software (like a Web browser) or hardware (like a phone or computer) the person is using to access the service. A server is a piece of software or hardware whose purpose is to offer a service over a computer network, such as the Internet.
 [Cookie](https://brave.com/glossary/cookie/)
 A cookie is a small piece of data that a website (the server) places on your device (the client). The exact meaning of cookie contents is specific to each website. In some cases these are benign, and required for the site or app to function (e.g. to know you put an item in a shopping cart). In other cases, cookies can be used to track your browsing activity, search history, and to follow you across the Web. Note that the term "cookie" is used in two different ways: to describe a specific way of setting values on browsers; and as a general term for all ways sites can store values on clients.
 ## E
 A filter list is a list of criteria that ad blockers and tracker blockers use to determine which content to block. This can include ads, trackers, pop-ups, cookie consent notifications, or other website annoyances.
 [Fingerprinting](https://brave.com/glossary/fingerprinting/)
 A fingerprint is a combination of many characteristics of your browser and device that uniquely identify you to a website. Fingerprinting is a tracking technique that doesn't rely on cookies, which more browsers are blocking by default.
+First party
+With a website or app, first-party means the data or resources (which can include things like trackers, cookies, scripts, etc.) loaded directly from the service itself. First-party is contrasted with third-party, where some (or all) code, images, or ads load from a source other than the site or app you're using.
 [First-party ad](https://brave.com/glossary/first-party-ad/)
 A first-party ad is a Web ad whose content is loaded from the same domain as the page showing the ad. The domain is the part of the URL after the "://" and before the next slash. For example, the domain of this page's URL is "brave.com." The opposite of a first-party ad is a third-party ad, which is loaded from a different domain than the page showing the ad.
 ## H
 [ISP](https://brave.com/glossary/isp/)
 An Internet service provider (ISP) can provide home or work access to the Web, along with things like domain name registration and Web hosting. For many home Internet users, being online means all data must go through some sort of ISP (and this ISP can see all your traffic and online activity unless you take steps to prevent it). Some examples of ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
 ## M
+Malware
+[Malware](https://brave.com/glossary/malware/)
+Malware is a synonym for malicious software that's designed to disrupt, damage, or steal information from a computer, server, network, or other computing device. Examples of malware include viruses, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. When browsing the Web, it's important to take adequate steps to protect yourself from malware.
+Malware is any software that has a malicious purpose. Common uses of malware are to steal private information, steal or extort money, disrupt infrastructure, or to simply cause chaos. Examples of malware include viruses, Trojans, ransomware, and Spyware. When browsing the Web, it's important to take adequate steps to protect yourself from malware.
 ## O
+Open source
+[Open source](https://brave.com/glossary/open-source/)
+Open source is a classification for software that's published with publicly available source code so that anybody can inspect, use, copy, distribute, or enhance it. Open-source software is often developed in a collaborative manner, and considered a public good, free for anybody to use. The Brave Browser, Linux operating system, and OpenOffice are examples of open-source software.
+Open-source software is software whose source code-the instructions that define what the software does-is published and freely available. The opposite of open source is closed source. Source code is human-readable, and software developers create software by writing it. To run software on a device, though, the source code has to be transformed into a form that's mostly unreadable to humans. That unreadable form is what you get when you download an app. Open-source software is often developed in a collaborative manner, and considered a public good, free for anybody to use. The Brave Browser, Linux operating system, and OpenOffice are examples of open-source software.
 ## P
+Phishing
+[Phishing](https://brave.com/glossary/phishing/)
+Phishing refers to sending fraudulent communications that appear authentic to trick users into submitting personal information or installing malware. Phishing often takes place via email, with the sender pretending to be a well known person or company. Phishing messages typically invoke a sense of urgency or panic, and compel readers to take immediate action-often clicking a link or navigating to a fake version of a website.
+Phishing (pronounced "fishing") refers to stealing people's passwords by tricking them, using a fake website that mimics a legitimate one. Phishing often takes place via email, with the sender pretending to be a well known person or company. Phishing messages typically invoke a sense of urgency or panic, and compel readers to take immediate action.
+Privacy
+[Privacy](https://brave.com/glossary/privacy/)
+In the context of computing, privacy refers to keeping personal, financial, and browsing data free from observation and not letting unauthorized parties access it. Protecting one's privacy when browsing the Web entails blocking trackers, blocking or partitioning third-party cookies, and blocking fingerprinting and other means of identifying a person and monitoring their online activity.
+In the context of computing, privacy means that your personal data isn't seen by anyone whom you don't want to see it, and isn't used by anyone in ways you don't approve of. Personal data means both information about you (e.g. your name, email address, or phone number) and also about what you do (e.g. which websites you visit, what you post online, who you talk to, or what you buy).
 [Private (incognito) window](https://brave.com/glossary/private-incognito-window/)
 A private window (or incognito window), is a browser window that forgets everything you did in it when you close it. Different browsers use different names for the same feature. Brave, Safari, and Firefox use "private window," while Chrome uses "incognito window" and Edge uses "InPrivate window." Note that this "forgetting" only refers to data stored on your device.
 ## R
+Randomness
+[Randomness](https://brave.com/glossary/randomness/)
+Randomness is the quality of lacking organization or structure, or otherwise being unpredictable. In the context of digital security, randomness plays an important role in cryptography and encryption-often used to generate random strings of characters and numbers known as "keys."
+Randomness is the property of lacking structure or organization, or otherwise being unpredictable. In the context of digital security, randomness plays an important role in cryptography and encryption-often used to generate random strings of characters and numbers known as "keys."
 [Retargeting](https://brave.com/glossary/retargeting/)
 Retargeting is a specific type of ad targeting, in which you're shown ads for something that you've shown interest in buying. For example, if you put an item in your shopping cart on an e-commerce site, but you don't check out, you might start seeing ads for that item all over the Web. Those ads are retargeted.
 ## S
 [Safe Browsing](https://brave.com/glossary/safe-browsing/)
 Safe Browsing is a service, run by Google, that catalogs fraudulent or malicious websites. It's integrated into several major browsers-including Brave, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox-so that they can warn you if you're about to visit such a site. Edge uses a similar (though slightly different) service that's run by Microsoft.
+Search engine
+[Search engine](https://brave.com/glossary/search-engine/)
+A search engine is a type of software that enables users to search for content on the Web. Search engines produce results in the form of links to Web pages, images, videos, and more. Most web browsers have address bars that can both navigate to specific URLs, and carry out Web searches.
+A search engine is a service, accessible over the Web, that finds information on the Web in response to your queries. The most widely used search engine, by far, is Google Search, usually just called "Google." Google Search is so ubiquitous that "to google" has become a verb meaning "to search the Internet." Some large sites, like YouTube, have search functionality that only finds items on that site (videos and channels, in YouTube's case). That's sometimes called a search engine too.
+Security
+[Security](https://brave.com/glossary/security/)
+In computer systems, security refers to the protection of data and information from theft, damage, or disclosure. For example, HTTPS is a necessary (but not sufficient) way your security is protected on the web.
+Computer security is the protection of computing devices, networks, and data from external threats.
+Server
+[Server](https://brave.com/glossary/server/)
+A server is a device or software that performs services for other devices or programs, known as clients. Servers can be physical machines, virtual machines, or software that performs server-like functions. The client-server model is the traditional and most common method for deploying apps on the Web. In the new Web3 model, nodes take the place of servers, providing more distributed and decentralized architecture.
+A server is a piece of software or hardware whose purpose is to offer a service over a computer network, such as the Internet. Servers can be physical machines, virtual machines, or software that performs server-like functions. The consumers of the service are called clients. The term "client" may refer to a person using the service, or a piece of software (like a Web browser) or hardware (like a phone or computer) the person is using to access the service.
+Storage
+[Storage](https://brave.com/glossary/storage/)
+Generally, storage refers to the process of housing digital data on a virtual or physical device, like a hard drive. It's also common for websites to use "client-side storage," where they store info on your device (often via cookies) that can be retrieved as needed. This is what makes it possible, for example, for you to revisit a website and see that the items you left in your shopping cart are still there.
+Storage is a general term in computing that means keeping data over a period of time. In the context of Web browsers, it has a more specific meaning: Web browsers set aside a limited amount of space on your device, where websites can store data. This is usually called "local storage." Common uses of local storage are to store your settings for the site (such as your dark mode / light mode preferences) and to save work in progress. Some sites may also use local storage to enable limited offline functionality (such as the ability to continue editing a Google doc, even without a Wi-Fi connection).
 [Surveillance economy](https://brave.com/glossary/surveillance-economy/)
 The surveillance economy describes the business of collecting and monetizing people's personal information at scale, and the companies that are involved in this business.
 ## T
+Third party
+When visiting a website, third-party refers to the other websites and sources of code, images, and ads a website loads resources from to create the page you see. Contrast this with first-party, where the site will load resources directly from the site you're viewing. Users generally do not know which third-party resources are being loaded on a page, which can include things like trackers, cookies, scripts, and more.
 [Third-party ad](https://brave.com/glossary/third-party-ad/)
 A third-party ad is a Web ad whose content is loaded from a different domain than the page showing the ad. The domain is the part of the URL after the "://" and before the next slash. For example, the domain of this page's URL is "brave.com." The opposite of a third-party ad is a first-party ad, which is loaded from the same domain as the page showing the ad.
 [Tracker](https://brave.com/glossary/tracker/)