# Falkon privacy rating

KDE web browser built on QtWebEngine, with a built-in ad blocker, session management, and integration with the Plasma desktop.

## Summary

Falkon scores 57 out of 100 (grade D) on the browsers criteria. It meets 4 of 8 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales and no calls to big-tech services. It partly meets blocks trackers by default. It does not meet independent audit, fingerprinting protection and timely security updates.

- Website: https://www.falkon.org
- Source code: https://invent.kde.org/network/falkon
- Platforms: Linux
- Home page trackers: none found
- Category: [Browsers](https://privacyratings.com/browsers/)
- Grade: D (57/100)

## Criteria

| Criterion | Answer | Note | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | Yes | GPL-3.0. | https://invent.kde.org/network/falkon/-/blob/master/COPYING |
| No trackers or telemetry | Yes | No telemetry or analytics in the source code. | https://invent.kde.org/network/falkon |
| No ads or data sales | Yes | Developed by the KDE community and funded by donations. No ads. | https://kde.org/donate/ |
| Independent audit | No | No independent audit is published. |  |
| Blocks trackers by default | Partial | The built-in ad blocker is on by default with EasyList and NoCoin, but tracker lists such as EasyPrivacy must be added by hand. | https://github.com/KDE/falkon/blob/master/src/lib/adblock/adblockmanager.cpp |
| Fingerprinting protection | No | No fingerprinting protection is documented. |  |
| No calls to big-tech services | Yes | QtWebEngine has no Google Safe Browsing or other Google services, and no such connections are in the source code. | https://invent.kde.org/network/falkon |
| Timely security updates | No | QtWebEngine is based on an older Chromium branch, and backported security fixes arrive with Qt releases, often weeks after Chrome. | https://wiki.qt.io/QtWebEngine/ChromiumVersions |

Source: https://privacyratings.com/browsers/falkon/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/browsers/falkon.md