> Why do people use it? I can understand blocking ads with e.g. ublock, but I cannot understand wanting a browser that shows you desktop ads for internet points.

Does it actually do this? When I had Brave, I never noticed that.

It’s optional. I am strongly against Brave (the privacy wording, taking cryptocurrency to be “donated” to content creators who hadn’t heard of Brave and then keeping it in “escrow” indefinitely, etc). However, if you are aware of the risks and the company’s not-stellar reputation among security people, you can use it if you want.

Wow!!! - Brave is holding payments in escrow for parties that did not even sign up for the service, that’s not shady at all. Even makes me wonder what’s happening to all the funds in escrow.

If they're doing it right, it's locked in a smart contract, in a bunch of individual balances that get unlocked when an admin at Brave provides a withdrawal address. That way, while they could steal from those accounts, it'd be readily apparent to any intended recipient whose funds were stolen.

Let me be more clear, using an example. Appears Brave only attempts to contact the Whois email after the funds in escrow exceed $100 USD.

Let’s say the have million in escrow, they invest it, don’t lose any of the funds, and 5 years later end up paying out all funds due.

Does the “all funds due” just the million, is it the million plus the returns they made on million, is it adjusted for inflation because they sat on it 5-years, etc.?

Comparable example might be the funds held in escrow by gift cards; my guess is unless Brave is being super careful what they are doing is or will be defined as illegal.

It's worth noting that the funds they are holding are funds they are giving out to users to donate to websites (as part of their boostrap fund), so it's not really as horrible as you are saying (but still.. weird).

It is horrible & toxic — no party regardless of intent should be collecting funds on behave of another party unless that party has legally agreed for it — or they’re legally using a well known structure for doing so that’s audited; for example, in the country Brave is headquartered, a non-profit business.

https://twitter.com/tomscott/status/1085238644926005248

> A final update on the thread about Brave: they're now opt-in for creators! While it's still possible to tip folks who haven't opted in, the data is stored in-browser and the UI has been clarified. These are good changes, and they fix the complaints I had!

Brave doesn’t make it easy to see the changes they made without installing the software and likely having to buy their crypto to test it; appears Brave is still selling the tokens for third-parties without their knowledge. System should be you send funds, transfer is not done until 3rd party authorization is received, 3rd party has no fee cash option instead (fees if any paid by donor) — and transaction voids after 30-days.

https://github.com/brave/brave-browser

> and likely having to buy their crypto to test it

I have 24 BAT and I didn't buy them. I donate some of what I earn from ads to a project maintainer on Github.

> Brave is still selling the tokens for third-parties without their knowledge

Brave doesn't sell tokens. They did raise money through a token sale but that's not relevant.

> System should be you send funds, transfer is not done until 3rd party authorization is received, 3rd party has no fee cash option instead (fees if any paid by donor) — and transaction voids after 30-days.

The transfer isn't done until the creator verifies with Brave. See my comment above.

Doing a minimum of reading (wiki, brave website, reddit) would do wonders for your comments.