Difference between revisions of "Private Search Engines"
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For every searches you perform using Google or Bing those companies store your IP and fill your computer with tracking cookies, to understand what you search, how much time you spend on the given websites and to track your surfing habits. All of that info will be conveniently packed and used for commercial purposes. | For every searches you perform using Google or Bing those companies store your IP and fill your computer with tracking cookies, to understand what you search, how much time you spend on the given websites and to track your surfing habits. All of that info will be conveniently packed and used for commercial purposes. | ||
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| + | As of 2009, the big three search engines currently hold on to user data for three months (Yahoo), nine months (Google), and 18 months (Microsoft/Bing). Google has turned over user search data to the U.S. Government upon request. Google has also cooperated with the country of China in censoring their citizens. | ||
A private search engine is one that does not track you specifically. | A private search engine is one that does not track you specifically. | ||
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The term "private search engine" is NOT the same as "secure search engine." A secure search engine uses https secure SSL while private refers to the search engine parent company not tracking you and saving information about your searches and online activity. Here we are more concerned about privacy. Encrypting your search only relates to privacy if your data transmissions are being intercepted, such as what is possible in a public WiFi hotspot. See our page on [[Secure Search Engines]] for further discussion of encrypting the search query itself, which does NOT shield you from being tracked. | The term "private search engine" is NOT the same as "secure search engine." A secure search engine uses https secure SSL while private refers to the search engine parent company not tracking you and saving information about your searches and online activity. Here we are more concerned about privacy. Encrypting your search only relates to privacy if your data transmissions are being intercepted, such as what is possible in a public WiFi hotspot. See our page on [[Secure Search Engines]] for further discussion of encrypting the search query itself, which does NOT shield you from being tracked. | ||
| − | == | + | == IxQuick == |
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| + | ''(see Startpage below)'' | ||
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| + | == Startpage == | ||
*URL: https://www.startpage.com/ | *URL: https://www.startpage.com/ | ||
Startpage doesn’t log your surfing habits and it doesn’t store your IP. Startpage uses some cookies but does not assign you a unique-id cookie. The cookies collect data anonymously to help your search experience, according to the authors. Startpage acts a pseudo proxy to google giving you basically the same quality of search results. | Startpage doesn’t log your surfing habits and it doesn’t store your IP. Startpage uses some cookies but does not assign you a unique-id cookie. The cookies collect data anonymously to help your search experience, according to the authors. Startpage acts a pseudo proxy to google giving you basically the same quality of search results. | ||
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| + | Startpage is also known as IxQuick. In July 2009, [https://ixquick.com/eng/ IxQuick] changed its name to the much-easier-to-remember Startpage. In January of 2009 IxQuick/Startpage stopped recording IP addresses completely and began offering secure searching via the https protocol. Using https makes it one of the [[Secure Search Engines]] as well as being a Private Search Engine. | ||
[[Category:Computer Technology]] | [[Category:Computer Technology]] | ||
[[Category:Privacy]] | [[Category:Privacy]] | ||
[[Category:Security]] | [[Category:Security]] | ||
Revision as of 19:14, 29 January 2012
For every searches you perform using Google or Bing those companies store your IP and fill your computer with tracking cookies, to understand what you search, how much time you spend on the given websites and to track your surfing habits. All of that info will be conveniently packed and used for commercial purposes.
As of 2009, the big three search engines currently hold on to user data for three months (Yahoo), nine months (Google), and 18 months (Microsoft/Bing). Google has turned over user search data to the U.S. Government upon request. Google has also cooperated with the country of China in censoring their citizens.
A private search engine is one that does not track you specifically.
The term "private search engine" is NOT the same as "secure search engine." A secure search engine uses https secure SSL while private refers to the search engine parent company not tracking you and saving information about your searches and online activity. Here we are more concerned about privacy. Encrypting your search only relates to privacy if your data transmissions are being intercepted, such as what is possible in a public WiFi hotspot. See our page on Secure Search Engines for further discussion of encrypting the search query itself, which does NOT shield you from being tracked.
IxQuick
(see Startpage below)
Startpage
Startpage doesn’t log your surfing habits and it doesn’t store your IP. Startpage uses some cookies but does not assign you a unique-id cookie. The cookies collect data anonymously to help your search experience, according to the authors. Startpage acts a pseudo proxy to google giving you basically the same quality of search results.
Startpage is also known as IxQuick. In July 2009, IxQuick changed its name to the much-easier-to-remember Startpage. In January of 2009 IxQuick/Startpage stopped recording IP addresses completely and began offering secure searching via the https protocol. Using https makes it one of the Secure Search Engines as well as being a Private Search Engine.
