What we put up with now

I appreciate all the photography, storytelling, and delicious recipes that food bloggers work so hard to publish. To show their artistic abilities, the creators select and design the right fonts, lighting, video, and perfectly tested recipes. But alas, every time I pull up one of these food blogs, I am thoroughly annoyed with the onslaught of ads, and thus I am not that excited to return.

All I want to do is find the perfect recipe to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Don't bombard me with ads that distract me with new mixers, dresses, or bank accounts. Let me see the recipe, that’s all.

Here is an example:

These ads not only distract but they get in the way. You know, those ads that you can't seem to clear away. You struggle to find that invisible X to MAKE IT STOP!

Creators, though, need these ads to earn money. Why else would they spend all that time and energy getting to the top of the browser search page? Your eyeballs are worth big bucks.

Data collection

On top of the annoying pop-ups, sidebar ads, and banners flashing "CLICK ME!" we are also victims of data collection. We put up with our data tracked, sold, and distributed everywhere we go on the world wide web. Some for good. Some for bad… perhaps very bad.

The better alternative

What if you can control the ads you see and pay those creators you want to support the most?

It is possible - use the Brave browser.

Get paid

In this new world of Web3, people want more control and ownership of their data. We are tired of being taken advantage of as we look for our favorite cookie recipes.

The Brave browser is the solution that we are all yearning. We can select the number of ads that we want to see and GET PAID for viewing them.

Within the settings of the Brave browser, you can control how many ads you would like to view within an hour. As you surf the internet, as usual, you get paid in BAT (Basic Attention Token) each time you view an ad.

At the end of the month, with all of the BAT you have accumulated, you can pay out a portion to your favorite creators and keep some for yourself. Because it is a cryptocurrency, you can trade it for other cryptocurrencies or fiat (US dollars, etc.).

When I pulled up that same chocolate cookie website using Brave, I experienced a completely ad free experience. Delightful!

Support your favorite creators

If you have a favorite food blogger that you enjoy, why not tip them with BAT currency to support their hard work and effort? The Brave browser can give you the power to send the BAT you earned by viewing ads to your favorite creator.

Take back control, and create your own digital identity

Brave is also supporting Web3 domains from Unstoppable Domains. These Unstoppable domains connect to your digital wallet.

Soon we will not be entering passwords, usernames, and filling out account information to look at that pair of shoes that you may want to buy. Instead, we will have a digital wallet that will allow us to move from site to site anonymously.

We will also have our domain that we can use to send/receive emails and display our brand and identity.

With Brave browser and Unstoppable domains, this partnership is the first to allow us to view decentralized .crypto websites. The other popular centralized browsers won't work. The integrations of Web3-friendly companies work in harmony to ensure we gain control over our data and allow more privacy.

Setting up Brave

You will do the same process with other popular browsers to get started with Brave. Download the application and follow the simple instructions.

After you have Brave installed, the customization begins.

There are many toggles to go through to either allow or restrict actions. The instructions and support documents are easy to understand and find.

Start earning BAT

You will be prompted as a new user to set up your rewards. You can set how many ads you want to view in an hour. I have to admit, by selecting five ads per hour, I barely noticed them. We have been so accustomed to the non-stop invasion of ads that we barely register the amount we view all the time.

At the end of each month, you will receive a report on how much BAT you earned and can claim. If you would like to convert the BAT to fiat, you will need to install the Genesis wallet.

Genesis wallet

Setting up a Genesis wallet is easy to follow their step-by-step instructions. While they collected your email, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of content in the email messages they sent as a new user. Don't be quick to delete; many of them are good to read.

Once you have your wallet set up, you can work with your BAT rewards on their platform. Genesis offers many options that are too numerous to outline here. Perhaps that will be covered in a future article.

A future where we have more control is here

Brave offers an excellent alternative for browsing the internet. With speed 3x to 6x of their competitors, privacy, and earning potential from yourself and your favorite creator, it is a no-brainer decision to start using Brave.

After using it for a few days, you will be shocked to discover how much you have allowed your data to be tracked by other browsers. Finally, a company that knows you deserve to choose what you want to see and who you want to support.

The new world of Web3 has so much potential. Switching to a new browser is an easy first step.

Tokens Square is a verified creator on Brave browser! Send us a tip on either our website or Twitter page.