Streaming Music Doesn't Work w/ Hardned Firefox or Brave

Privacy Questions
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1

Not sure if this is the right/best place to post this but I’ll give it a go.

I subscribe to both Apple Music and SiriusXM.

I’m running Linux Mint, and I have Firefox setup using Michael Bazzell’s settings listed in Extreme Privacy. I also use pretty much stock Brave for work things (office 365). I use my ProtonVPN OpenVPN configuration 24/7 on my internet connection, and I also have uBlock Origin on both browsers.

I’ve tried logging into both SiriusXM and Apple Music and have different issues with each.

Apple Music - I can login, but everything in the Radio app is in “Preview” mode, which means it only plays a small portion of the song and then moves to the next. It works fine on my iPad and iPhone. It only does this in the web browser.

SiriusXM - I can’t login. Using Firefox and Brave, each time I try it just says “Oops, something went wrong!” with no explanation at all.

Does anyone have any idea what part of my setup might be causing these issues? It would help me make a decision on how to move forward.

Thanks!

Edit:

Actually, Brave browser lets me login to Apple Music but is stuck in Preview mode. When I try logging into Apple Music on Firefox, it doesn’t get passed the Apple ID page. It just keeps spinning and never loads the password field to continue logging in.

2

You probably turned off the Widevine DRM component in the browser and/or technologies like JS/WebRTC which are necessary for the streaming to work.

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3

Interesting. How can I turn it back on? I don’t recall seeing that setting.

Edit: I found it and it was turned on. I’m troubleshooting some other things right now based on a firefox article and DRM.

4

Simply use a non-hardened browser profile for sites which break with the hardened profiles.

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5

Thanks for the feedback.

How can I do that? I’m not familiar with different browser profiles.

6

Firefox: type in about:profiles in the address bar.

Brave: search for profile in the settings.

Pretty sure you will find plenty more detailed explanations via a search engine of your choice.

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7

Awesome! That just fixed the login issue with Apple Music, but it’s still in Preview mode :expressionless:

Edit: That also solved the SiriusXM problem. Thanks!

I’m going to mark this as solved for now and keep looking into the Preview mode issue in Apple Music.

Thanks for your help.

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8

Resolved both issues now. Once logged into Apple Music with a new profile in Firefox, I was prompted to enable DRM and it installed the plugin. No more Preview mode.

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9

If using arkenfox template, DRM is enabled by default nowadays.DRM - move to optional hardening

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If you would allow me to derail the topic:

A saner(?) approach to music for your future/in the long run is to own your music with CDs and rip them and use a dedicated offline music device like those Fiio that I always see. It keeps your phone safe from software shenanigans and the music publishers cant remotely delete the things you own or lose access to your favorite music just because it is in the “off rotation” cycle.

Also no need to pay monthly music if Despacito is on repeat anyway. Wrong year, I know :rofl:

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I appreciate your insight.

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I’ll be honest. I haven’t purchased physical media in probably 15 years, and that was DVD not music.

I wouldn’t even know where to buy physical media for some of the songs I like since I don’t listen to albums just individual songs and maybe more than one song from a few artists.

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Not a problem for me as someone that “owns” the content and sails the high seas :pirate_flag:

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14

Yes, that’s what I’ll have to do as well. Ahoy!

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15

Unironically and unfortunately it is the most private way for preserving and viewing content.

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16

You’re right. When the service providers make it totally one-sided, they don’t leave many choices.

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17

Now is the time to build that collection for your selfhosted Jellyfin/SubSonic seever.

Unfortunately, Amazon remains as the popular retailer for CDs and DVDs. Do check your local music retailer if they still carry physical media.

As you get older you may find yourself unable to appreciate whatever comes out as popular on the radio/streaming charts. You may just want to stay in the comfort of the your own personal nostalgia. This would the perfect time to buy and rip physical media.

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While I agree with you, the allure of streaming for many is the chance to discover new content easily, which is difficult to do with physical media.

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I give that role (music discovery) to YouTube since thats what I always see on the trending/hot page on NewPipe

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