3 Search Engines that don’t track user data like Google
Google
is the ultimate search engine? Wrong, there are plenty of search
engines that offer you same search results if not better. But due to the
vast scale of Google, when you need to get information or find
something online, chances are you go to Google. However, Google has one
big flaw. It traces your browsing history and has been in limelight for
it user data scraping methods. It saves your search history, scans your
Gmail, tracks your location, keeps everything you say to “OK Google,”
and a lot more. If you are using Google, than, Google probably knows a
lot better of your digital habits than yourself.
Google tracks user data so that it can serve ads that are targeted
just for you. Google says, it also saves data to give you better search
results which may be quite true. Though Google allows users to opt out
of Google’s interest based ads and lets you delete your search history,
it still saves enough user data to create a digital profile.
If
you are a privacy oriented person or just dont want anybody to sniff
your digital life, you can try these three alternative search engines
which guarantee privacy to their users.
1. DuckDuckGo
First
in the list is DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo has now grown into a solid Google
replacement. It doesn’t track user data or target your IP address or
search history. The search engine deployed by DuckDuckGo uses nifty
algorithms and calculations you’ve come to expect on Google and give you
a good search result. You can also customize its interface, with search
shortcuts and an Instant Answers feature that’s just as good as, if not
better than,Google’s Knowledge Graph.
You can also make DuckDuckGo an extension of your browser and activate
more privacy settings to keep your search history as protected as
possible.
2. Yippy
Yippy
is a new kid on the block that offers you total privacy in your
Internet search. It automatically detects and blocks adult content,
including pornography, gambling sites, sex product sites and other
websites that are not appropriate for kids.
Plus, the site
protects your privacy. It will not collect personally identifiable
information about you, like your name, telephone number, address and
email address. On the flip side, it may collect anonymous information
about your IP address. It also uses cookies, which it claims does not
track your personal behavior.
3. Ixquick
Ixquick is
the latest entrant in the private search engines space. Its USP is that
it concentrates totally on giving your very discreet search results. In
fact, it calls itself the world’s most private search site. It doesn’t
record your IP address, browser information or search history, so
advertisers can’t track you.
It also gives you the privacy of
searching via proxy, so the sites you visit don’t even know your real IP
address. This is similar to Tor, but without the hassle of setting it
up. Ixquick has relatively good user interface and it’s proxy option
gives you the most online privacy. It may slow down your searches, but
when you select “proxy,” Ixquick makes you invisible online.
It
furnishes search results with three options to the Internet user. When
you use Ixquick to search for “Techworm.” Your search results will look
similar to Google’s, with a list of websites that match your search, but
each result has three options:
• Click on a link and it takes you to a page as normal, meaning the website can see you.
• Choose “Highlight” just to see the basics of a site to decide if you actually want to visit it.
•
Click “Proxy” and you will remain anonymous to the site you’re
visiting. The site will see Ixquick’s IP address, not yours. Just note
that it will slow down the site a little.