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Numerous search engines exist, each with its own characteristics, and each of us has our favorite. We use them daily to seek solutions to our problems, entrusting them with our needs, doubts, curiosities, and even our concerns. However, what can we say about privacy protection during our online searches? In this article, we will explore different types of search engines and discover which ones are the best for ensuring the confidentiality of your personal data. Specifically, here’s what I’ll be discussing today:
1. Search engine: what is it?
If you are a beginner, first you need to understand what a search engine is. A search engine is a web application that allows users to search for information on the Internet. It’s a tool that helps you find web pages, images, videos, documents, and other content based on keywords. Nowadays, using a search engine is of fundamental importance. In fact, there are billions of web pages on the Internet, and it would be very difficult to find specific information without a tool that helps us search for what we need. An example of a famous search engine is Google. Regarding the topic of privacy, we will start with Google because it is the most well-known and widely used one.
2. What is Google?
Google is a technology company that provides a wide range of services and products, with its search engine being its primary offering. In addition to delivering search results, Google also offers other services such as email (Gmail), a mobile operating system (Android), a web browser (Google Chrome), a video-sharing platform (YouTube), and many more. It encompasses a broad array of features and tools, including image search, text translation, satellite navigation, map viewing, news search, and much more.
Google and privacy
If you’re looking for a good search engine but you’re someone who values not sharing their personal data, Google may not be the best choice. In fact, Google collects a vast amount of data from its users. Currently, it states that it retains data on:
- Searches made: such as the terms you search for, videos you watch, voice and audio information related to your activities.
- Activities you engage in: views and interactions with content and advertisements on other websites that use Google’s services.
- Geographic location: location data obtained from GPS and other sensors on your device.
- Other types of information, including: information about purchases, people you communicate or share content with, and even your browsing history in Chrome (if you have enabled sync with your Google account).
If you want the complete list of all the information Google retains about you, there is no more accurate source than its own privacy policy.
Of course, when we say that Google “retains” this type of data, it means that when you use its services, the aforementioned information will be collected and sent over the internet to its servers, where it will be stored in the company’s large databases. If you had any doubts, rest assured that Google is not doing anything illegal. After all, anyone who uses its services explicitly agrees to this data treatment.
Do you remember the window that appeared the first time you connected to www.google.com, asking for your consent regarding the use of cookies? Well, cookies are one of the technologies used to collect this type of information. In the message that appears the first time you visit the site and asks you to accept them, Google immediately informs you about the data it will collect about you and how it will be used. Speaking of cookies, if you’re not familiar with what they are, I recommend reading the article I wrote about them: Cookies: a useful tool or a threat to your privacy?
But why are all these personal data collected? You should know that Google uses this information to improve its services and enhance the user experience. However, all this information can also be used for advertising and profiling purposes. Through data analysis, Google is able to create highly detailed profiles of users and their interests. These profiles can be used to personalize advertisements and search results, providing more relevant information based on their preferences.
If you use Google or one of its services daily, you have probably experienced performing a search and subsequently receiving relevant advertisements. Think about YouTube, if you use it. Have you ever noticed that, despite the vast number of available topics, the homepage always shows you videos related to things that interest you? This is because Google knows your preferences very well and understands exactly which videos you would like to watch.
Thanks to all our data, Google is able to provide consistently useful and accurate results, filtering out less relevant information and showing us the safest and most relevant results based on our needs. Therefore, from a usability standpoint, it is certainly one of the best search engines and is the most convenient and straightforward solution for less tech-savvy individuals. However, the fact that Google knows all these things about us might raise concerns for those who value their privacy.
One question that might arise at this point is: is such invasive data collection truly necessary for the basic functioning of a search engine? The answer, of course, is no. After all, if I search for “pictures of cats” on Google today, why should it remember that yesterday I searched for “pictures of dogs”? It could easily fulfill its duty as a search engine without keeping track of such information, as it would simply need to provide the requested images without the need to know who I am or what I searched for previously. Of course, this would forgo all the usability benefits I mentioned earlier, but it would instead offer a more privacy-conscious solution for the user. An example of a search engine that prioritizes privacy as its mission is DuckDuckGo.
3. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that focuses on the privacy of its users. It was created with the aim of providing an alternative to popular search engines like Google, which often collect a lot of personal information for advertising purposes. Unlike those, DuckDuckGo does not record your searches or track your online activities. When you perform a search on DuckDuckGo, no cookies will be stored on your device. This means that no personal profiles will be created based on your information. DuckDuckGo does not collect any personal data, which helps maintain your privacy during your online searches. This implies that search results will be unbiased and not personalized. Don’t believe it? Check for yourself by reading its privacy policy.
At this point, you might wonder, “How does DuckDuckGo make money then?” You should know that it also earns revenue through advertising. However, unlike other search engines, its ads are not based on the user’s personal profile but solely on the context of their individual searches. For example, let’s say you want to search for results for the keyword “cat”. One of the possible advertisements you might encounter could be from a store that sells cat food. I want to point out that, to show you this ad, DuckDuckGo doesn’t need any information about you. The only data it needs is the keyword you searched for at that moment. Thanks to this keyword, when it prepares your search results, it will also include relevant ads, and then forget who you are and what search you made.
DuckDuckGo is certainly one of the best search engines for privacy. However, if you’re used to the usability of Google or similar search engines, you may encounter some difficulties when switching to this new search engine. While popular search engines immediately show you the most relevant results based on your needs for a given keyword, DuckDuckGo shows the same results to all users. Therefore, sometimes you may need to spend a few extra seconds to find the page you were looking for.
4. Presearch
If you’re interested in the world of blockchain and Web 3.0, Presearch might be just what you’re looking for. If you’re unfamiliar with blockchain, I recommend reading the article I wrote about it, which will introduce you to the foundational concepts of Bitcoin: the first application of this new technology. Thanks to blockchain, Presearch is able to be a true decentralized search engine. This means that searches are not powered by an infrastructure controlled by a single company, as is the case with Google or DuckDuckGo. Instead, everything functions through a network of computers that collaborate with each other, a network that anyone can participate in.
Make money with searches
One of the unique features of Presearch is that currently it incentivizes people to use it by “paying” its users with a cryptocurrency called PRE. PRE is the utility token of Presearch and is used within its ecosystem for various functions. Currently, you can earn 0.1 PRE for every search you make on Presearch, up to a maximum of 2.5 PRE per day. So, what can you do with this token? One use case is related to advertising: advertisers can use PRE tokens to purchase advertising space on Presearch and reach platform users. Additionally, PRE can also be traded on the market for dollars, euros, or other cryptocurrencies.
In any case, in order to withdraw your PRE, you will need to reach a minimum threshold of tokens, which currently stands at 1000 PRE. Once you have collected this number, you can send the cryptocurrency to your personal wallet and use it as you wish.
Presearch and privacy
Presearch is also a privacy-focused search engine, but unlike DuckDuckGo, it retains some information. In order to operate the rewards mechanism for individual searches, you will need to create an account as a user. Therefore, there are certain types of data, such as email addresses and other information related to search events, that Presearch needs to store for this purpose. It’s important to note that when I mention search events, I’m not referring to the specific terms you type. For example, if you search for the word “cat” on Presearch, the search engine will only store generic information about that search, which is necessary for the rewards mechanism to function.
Let me explain further: Presearch needs to keep track of how many searches you perform, the specific times at which you made those searches, and how many PRE tokens you were rewarded with for each search. This data is necessary for the rewards mechanism. Without collecting this information, for instance, the search engine wouldn’t be able to enforce the daily limit of 2.5 PRE tokens. However, I want to emphasize that this data is not in any way linked to the type of search conducted. In other words, Presearch will not remember that you specifically searched for the word “cat”. It will only recall that you made a certain request X for which you received a PRE token reward.
However, as currently stated by the company, Presearch may also retain certain data such as your IP address or other anonymized information about your browser or location. However, in general, one of the project’s main goals is to preserve user privacy and retain as little information as possible about users. In this case as well, I recommend reading their privacy policy to learn more about the data collected.
Despite not collecting much data, Presearch manages to provide an excellent service in terms of usability. Personally, during my searches, I’ve noticed more precise results compared to those provided by DuckDuckGo. However, as mentioned earlier, by not retaining any user data, DuckDuckGo maintains a higher level of privacy. If you decide to sign up for Presearch, I recommend doing so using this link. Through this link, you can benefit from an initial bonus of 25 PRE tokens. Additionally, by doing this, you’ll also be supporting me as it allows me to earn the same bonus.
5. Conclusions
Certainly, there are many other search engines, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. However, the three I presented to you summarize the main categories you’ll find regarding privacy. In general, as you may have understood, there is always a compromise to be reached between privacy and usability. Some search engines collect a significant amount of data to provide the best possible service, while others prioritize privacy as their mission but may not offer a service on par with the former. There are also those that strike a middle ground, collecting only the necessary data to still provide a good service. Presearch represents a unique case among the latter, as it even pays you for using it. Usually, the more privacy is emphasized, the lower the usability.
In any case, I always encourage you to directly consult the privacy policy of the search engine you are interested in. This article summarizes the current situation for some of them, but it’s possible that policies may change in the future. That’s all for now. Thank you for reading this far and best regards!