Historically, patronage in the arts has favored those with connections to wealth. This makes sense. After all, it is typically only the affluent who are able to spare the capital necessary to support innovation and other risky ventures such as art-making. But this means innovative voices who weren’t lucky enough to have access to capital through prosperous connections faded away. It also means ventures were naturally aligned with the interests of a wealthy few. Not only is this patently unfair, it is a poor way to sponsor innovation and support good work.
Today, we have the ability to transform the idea of patronage into something more egalitarian, something people from all walks of life can engage in to support creators and innovators they want to succeed. Technology has given us that freedom in the form of Brave.
A New Way to Browse.
Brave is a web browser built for speed, privacy, and security. It was developed by an innovative team, led by the inventor of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla, Brendan Eich, in an effort to counter the data-grabbing profiteering so typical of Silicon Valley, and free users to choose how their time, attention, and information is used as they navigate the web. I adopted Brave on my desktop and smartphone around November of 2019 and I never looked back. Not only does it speed my browsing experience, it effectively blocks trackers, protects my privacy, and even reimburses me for my attention.
Typical platforms profit off users by collecting personal information and selling targeted ads to businesses. This has the effect, in our increasingly online world, of disrupting our attention in the most invasive fashion. Brave has flipped that paradigm on its head. Not only does it protect your data, it does not even collect it (it can’t because your data is cryptographically secure and anonymized). It also gives users the freedom to choose whether to see ads (and how ads they want to see), and pays users when they do. You can literally get paid as you browse the web. No joke.
Brave utilizes a blockchain-based cryptocurrency, Basic Attention Token (BAT), to pay users for their attention as they browse the internet. It operates seamlessly in the background while the browser is in use, and deposits BAT in a secure crypto-wallet. Your identification is protected. No banking information is needed. Any interactions you make through the wallet are completely anonymous and secured through the blockchain.
Support Creators Without Spending a Dime.
As groundbreaking as Brave already is, it takes things a step further by allowing users to use earnings accumulated while browsing to patronize the content creators they love. Brave Rewards pays users for their attention but also gives them the option to “pay it forward” by rewarding the creators of web content with automated contributions or one-time tips. In short, users can reward their favorite creators without spending a dime of their own money. That means patronage has effectively become more of a level playing field. Anybody, no matter their economic standing, can become a patron. Their contributions can be funded solely through their normal internet browsing activity. That’s a game-changer.
Become Part of the Solution.
Most of us are aware of the toxicity of the current paradigm on the web. Technology tends towards winner-take-all outcomes, disproportionately rewarding only a few actors at the expense of the many. Now is the time to change that, and with Brave we can take the first step towards a better internet ecosystem. We can enjoy the fruits of technological innovation without sacrificing ourselves on the alter of big-tech.
Join me on this new internet journey with Brave. I assure you, I am in no way affiliated with Brave, other than as a very happy user. I have not been paid by the company to endorse the product, nor do I expect to be. However, I do hope you’ll consider supporting the work I do by setting up an automated monthly contribution through Brave Rewards. It comes at no cost to you. It requires no effort on your part. Your patronage will be funded through your regular internet browsing activity.
It’s that simple.
Please note that the earning and tipping function does not work on iOS devices (iPhones and iPads). Earning BAT through desktop and Android browsers is recommended. Read more.
Those who wish to become supporters in a more traditional fashion—through direct monetary contributions—may do so at the following link: Become a Supporter!
