Search engines
What are the alternatives?
Some of the alternaties search engines one could use are listed downunder together with a description of how they support more user privacy, and what they are lacking
Startpage:
Startpage is a project located in the Netherlands. The server location within the EU ensures legal limits to what data they are allowed to store of their users. However, they advertise themselves as not storing any user data, may it be IP addresses or search history. When using Startpage, the search is anonymously sent to the Google search algorithm and the results are sent through Startpage back to the user. This means that the quality of search results is comparable to when using Google directly. However, Google has no access to the user’s data. Search results are not adjusted to the individual user and neither are the displayed advertisements. The high level of privacy and the quality of the search results are the big advantages of Startpage.
DuckDuckGo:
DuckDuckGo is a project located in the United States. While they advertise themselves as a search engine without user tracking, through their server location in the US they are legally not limited in the same amount as Startpage or Ecosia to what user data they can store. It should be emphasized, however, that privacy is the main aim of this search engine. DuckDuckGo mainly uses the Microsoft Bing search engine, which results in a slightly lower quality in search results. Through the anonymization, neither search results, nor advertisements are based on the user’s data. Privacy and the optional customization of the search engine are the big advantages of DuckDuckGo.
Ecosia:
Ecosia is a project located in Germany. The server location in the EU legally limits Ecosia to what data they can store of their users. This search engine focuses on the environment while still implementing user privacy. While their electricity and servers are said to be run on climate-neutral energy, they also plant trees from their income generated by the searches of their users. User data is said to be deleted or completely anonymized after 7 days. Furthermore, Ecosia mainly uses the Microsoft Bing search engine. While the search is said to be anonymized, some user data such as parts of the IP address are nevertheless sent to Bing. The focus on an environment-friendly infrastructure as well as use of the search engine are the big advantages of Ecosia.