Note that browsers already do the mechanics of inserting ads today, unless the ad is a fixed element on the served page, which is quite rare. Even then, to pay, ads need confirmation tracking if not target tracking before placement by scripts.

In this sense, all browsers insert the vast majority of ads today. Intermediary businesses insert scripts before, during, and after ads too. Browsers and extensions may block scripts.

The part of the ad ecosystem that Brave transposes to the browser, again if and only if each user and (if in the deal: ad slot in page, not in user space) publisher agrees, is the matching of ad to context including user interest, and the attribution and confirmation of ad view or interaction. This is done without any tracking or user data on servers — including our servers. Also no user fingerprinting on any blockchain, it is super-important to avoid this.

How matching works: if you opt into the ad system, you get a catalog, same as everyone gets in a large region speaking the same natural language. The catalog lists edge url and metadata on each ad or offer. It compresses well and slowly updates. Downloading it or updating it with new ad deals for all in the region/language does not identify you. We have started with global/English for trials.

Local machine learning studies local data, again only if you opt in. This agent sees the sum of all user inputs to the browser: search queries (you own your query log — the search engine does not and the agent does not scrape search results, just user inputs and navigation); e-commerce form filling and buying; social graph edges from you to your friends; tab and window constellations; scrolling on actually viewed content.

With our secret-key cross device sync option, your data can be a full cross device view of your browsing, and only you have the key to decrypt this data. We cannot see it, we see only encrypted blobs in cloud storage. QR code and camera pairing with secret key as wordlist are what you see and do, to use Brave Sync (user testing soon).

Say you are shopping for a new camera during lunch, but on most days go back to work after lunch. The agent knows this and does not bug you too soon. But later, after work, when you are idle, an OS notification floats a brief call to action ad (like a search ad, a few lines of text and minimal image branding). This self dismisses but you can find it in Brave. If you click the View button, Brave is focused if not already and a new tab opens with a full landing page ad or offer.

You can thumbs-down on the ad if it didn’t work. You can close the tab whenever you like. You are not identified to the ad’s brand or any other party by opening tab — Brave shields are still up. But if you like the ad, you can act on it. You get 70% of the gross, which can be large for lead-gen ads such as making a test drive appointment with a car dealer.

Publisher ads work similarly and can even place just based on page context, not on any local user data. We always give the ad space owner 70%. We always pay the user >= what we make.

If you just form an impression, view a video by quartiles, even click on a download button for an app, or open further pages, you are not identified. Chaum blind certificates attest to your ad actions but without any user identifier. We already use the ANONIZE protocol for anonymous contributions to your top sites and YouTube accounts.

In no case do you identify to any party, including us, as a tracked user — unless you choose to, in a clear page in tab aka first party setting.