Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, and for good reason. It packs in a ton of features for Android users and anyone with a Gmail account. Google Drive integration alone makes it a go-to for both personal and professional organization. Plus, Chrome is just as easy to use on a mobile device as it is on a laptop.
One of Chrome's standout features is its extension ecosystem. There are thousands available, many of which genuinely boost productivity or accessibility. My favorite is one that will read entire pages of text aloud to you, giving you the freedom to do other things while still being well-read in those respects. But there are also some nefarious Chrome extensions that you should avoid. These are common ones that have stolen data, identities, and more. Stay away from the following Chrome extensions.
Avoid FreeVPN.One
It may say free, but it can cost you
You may see the name and think, "That seems too good to be true." And you'd be right. FreeVPN.One isn't fully truthful, since the most trusted VPNs are paid ones. Having a VPN means you can hide your traffic and work around firewalls to use the internet more freely -- whether you're at home or traveling. This opens up the ability to not only stream content from other areas of the world, but also access your own content while abroad.
VPNs are generally safe to use and provide excellent security for your network. However, FreeVPN.One was found to be anything but secure. Instead, it was caught spying on people's web traffic and taking screenshots of over 100,000 accounts. Don't offer your computer up to that kind of scrutiny. Real VPNs like NordVPN and SurfShark are reliable and steady.
Super Dark Mode sounds ominous
Because it is
Some of these contained malware at one point. While the developers may have fixed the issue, it is still important for these to be flagged.
Do you want your entire laptop or computer to run in dark mode? Many people would opt for that setting, as it would make it easier on their eyes to see some of the brighter things. Whether you have a Windows or Mac computer, you have a built-in dark mode that you can turn on and off as you see fit. It will make the menus darker and make the background tilt to a darker tinge.
But for Google Chrome, there's no native dark mode that works across all websites. Super Dark Mode claims to offer dark mode on every website that you use and turn it on with just one click. It even includes a nightlight filter and enhanced vibrance for media, and aims to make it easier on your eyes. However, it was revealed that this extension contained malware, corrupting computers that used it.
While it's reportedly fixed now, it may not be worth it for some.
Unlock Discord doesn't do what it promises
These can be tricky to deal with
People have tried to find ways around security firewalls for a long time. They're usually tough to bypass, especially if you're in a country where an app doesn't work. Many of the tools or extensions used to access restricted services had the word "Unlock" in front of them. These pieces of software worked around the problem, offering any person in any country the ability to get to the program.
Unlock YouTube was a hugely popular one until YouTube became more widely accessible. Unlock Discord was another -- it gave users access to Discord, the free chat platform. Unfortunately, it posed massive security risks, with the extension planting malware on many computers. It was used to steal Discord account information as well as personal data from many users. Malicious ads would pop up on the sides of the site, thanks to the extension.
Wistia Video Downloader looked harmless
But it's far from it in the end
If you're watching a video online, you may think about how nice it would be to store it on your device. But, as I'm sure you've realized, you can't just go around downloading every video -- most don't even let you. With Wistia Video Downloader, it just might be. This extension claims to let you download any Wistia video to your device without needing permission to do so. Wistia is a video streaming platform that enables screen recording, downloading, and storing videos from the Internet.
The tool works through the Video Downloader extension. But after learning more, you might think twice before using it. Many of the extensions that offer video downloading have been found to contain adware and malware. What's interesting is that Wistia Video Downloader has now rebranded to Wistia Video Downloader Plus. Will it stop stealing information and adding malicious content onto your laptop or computer just to be able to download some videos? I'm not willing to take the risk.