Browsing around the Internet often requires the use of search engines. Most of them are owned by big technology companies that try to stay ahead of the competition by offering a lot of other services. Tracking the user search history and their behavior is a common trait that concerns the privacy-minded individuals. In this article, we would like to offer you four privacy-aware search engines that respect your privacy.
Four Privacy-Aware Search Engines
All major search engines have created elaborate mechanism and tools that build profiles of their users. Information on search history and web site interaction are stored on vast databases that are used to provide a detailed background on the individual users.
The search engines often defend their actions by indicating that they “provide a better service”, “more relevant results” and other related reasons. As active Internet tracking is not something that appeals to all users, here are some alternatives that promise to respect your privacy.
1. DuckDuckGo
This is one of the most widely used privacy-aware search engine. The site doesn’t log any personally identifiable information of their users. No tracking cookies are stored, and all user agent and IP addresses are discarded from the server logs. It’s interface is very clean and reminiscent of Google. As the web site does not identify its users, it serves the same search results to everyone.
2. Startpage
Startpage queries Google without sending the users information to their servers. The queries come from Startpage’s servers, and all results are served through the web interface back to the user. Like DuckDuckGo, this search engine also discards all revealing information from the search. The service also offers a proxy feature.
3. Ixquick
This is another search engine made by the same company that runs Startpage.The main difference between the two is that Ixquick queries a variety of different sources, not just the Google servers. This search engine has the same look and feel as Startpage and features its proxy feature as well.
4. The TOR Network
The most famous and widely used way to search the Internet is by using the TOR network. This massive P2P relay conceals the user’s identity and makes it possible to browse the web in a very safe manner.
