People Don't Know What a Browser Is, Google Explains It to Them

Article by George Norman (Cybersecurity Editor)

on 08 Oct 2009

A web browser is a software application that you use to access the various information available to you online. This includes webpages, online videos, online photos, other software applications, and all sorts of online content. You know this, because you launched your web browser of choice to view this article, but the person walking next to you on the street may be completely clueless, Google has found out. Mind you, there are some people out there that do not know how to cut, copy and paste either.

This summer Google went to the streets, mainly the Times Square in NY, and asked various people one simple question: What is a browser? You would be amazed what some people answered – see here. Most people confuse the browser with the search engine. I don’t mean to sound condescending, but there are some pretty ignorant people out there. Some cannot even name a country that starts with U. As in freaking United States of America– just see here.

So what do you do when you discover that people do not know what a browser is? You educate them, of course. The one to take on this endeavor is Associate Product Marketing Manager, Jason Toff.

“For my mom, my friends and everyone else who may be wondering about web browsers, I created a one minute video to help explain what they're all about: [see here]. I've also created a simple site, WhatBrowser.org, that gives even more information about browsers. On this site, you can see which web browser you're using, explore links to browser diagnostic tests and read some useful tips for getting the most out of your browser,” commented Jason Toff.

Do you know what web browser you are currently using? Just visit WhatBrowser.org and see for yourself. If you do know all about your browser, do you think your mom, or some of your friends do? Ask them and see if they do or not. Educate them if they don’t. Sit them down and make them watch the video if you don’t care much about explaining it yourself.


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