It is impossible to imagine living without search engines in today's digital era. Even when they are free to use, they come with a hidden cost. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo invade your privacy. They track your personal preferences as you use their services to search for things. After which, they use your […]
It is impossible to imagine living without search engines in today's digital era. Even when they are free to use, they come with a hidden cost. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo invade your privacy. They track your personal preferences as you use their services to search for things. After which, they use your data to generate profit by showing you specific ads.
Your Google searches generate money for different people without you even realizing it. Everything happens in the background. As the developers design their search engines to track every movement. You can turn on TurboVPN to hide your actual IP address and location. Yet, your system will collect cookies from all the websites you visit due to browser settings.
Some users are under the impression that a private browsing window will protect them. A private window only stops the browser from collecting any data. The websites or search engines that you may use will still work in the background. So, there are high chances of you seeing targeted ads even when you are in the Incognito mode.
Now, What is the right way to protect our privacy while searching the internet? Well, you need to combine two things: A private search engine and a VPN service such as TurboVPN.
Private search engines are privacy-focused. They work to protect the user’s information instead of using it against them. Regular ones tend to use a lucrative business model. They feed on the information they get from your search history. The sad part is that you have no control over personal information extraction.
Here are some reasons why you need to consider using one to protect your privacy.
As you use a private search engine, you will notice that you will see fewer and less personalized ads. This is because it does not track what you’re searching for and viewing. , your search history or previous browsing will not influence your search results. The websites you visit will also show you less personalized or random ads. As they will not collect any information from your activities on the internet.
Using a private search engine lets you enjoy the peace of mind it brings, as no one can track you anymore. Different organizations create data profiles. They gather information about you from search engines, and they can use it against you. There is minimal chance of any data breaches or computer hacks if you use a private search engine.
Private search engines can not insert bias into your search results. This is because they don’t collect data to analyze past searches. Regular ones use a filter bubbles tactic. They give you results according to your interests, as you’re more likely to click on them. Thus, it will show the same results to everyone. As they do not create and use complex user profiles to tailor specific search results.
Private search engines give you an active role in how they collect and use data. Yet, you should expect certain tradeoffs. When switching your default search engine to an option, you should keep in mind:
Search engines leverage your data through personalization. They get smarter as they understand your preferences from the results you click. As you switch to a private search engine, you will notice a lack of personalization. Your main concern should be your privacy. The fancy personalization features a search engine has to offer should be irrelevant.
Whether regular or anonymous, every search engine makes money. They show you ads above your desired search results. This technique is often frustrating because you have to see the ads despite your wishes. Subscription-based search engines don’t show you ads. As they charge you a small fee to use their search engine every month.
Many private search engines promise to keep your search history safe. Yet, they extract it in the background without your knowledge. Choosing the best one can be tricky. Private search engines will not share your search history. Your results preference, and other personalization information with anyone. So, here are five of the best private search engines that can help you take control.
DuckDuckGo’s main selling point is that the search engine does not track its users at all. This already gives it an edge over Google. With the online privacy feature, DuckDuckGo became more popular. Now the users did not have to worry about any type of tailored ad that would target them. For searching, DuckDuckGo combines results from other ones such as Yahoo. You can also add the extension to your browser to take advantage of the private search option. You can also search from any website without visiting it through the Bangs feature.
Switzerland has very strict privacy laws. So, developers designed a private search engine to accommodate their laws. Thus Swisscows focuses on protecting the IP address of their users. Their personal information or their search history. Swisscows also provides parents with a filter. That concerned parents can use to filter out violent or inappropriate content. For ads, Swisscows only targets you based on what you’re searching for. The browser does not use your personal information or location.
SUMA e.V and the University of Hanover collaborated to develop MetaGer. A German metasearch engine can search the databases of many search engines at the same time. MetaGer is capable of showing you compiled results that fit your keyword in a single search. A noteworthy feature of MetaGer is the web associator. It displays similar terms to your search query along with the open-source code.
StartPage is the ideal choice for people who want to use Google without privacy concerts. The developers designed StartPage custom URL engine without the need for cookies. You can also save all your custom settings without worrying, to ensure the safety of your privacy. You can also use Turbo VPN to give yourself an extra layer of anonymity. StartPage also pays special attention to its designs.
Ecosia became available to users in 2009, but it failed to gain popularity back then. It also shares its interface design with Google but Bing powers it. Ecosia offers its users the choice to use personalized searches at their convenience. A user can use Ecosia in seven languages. It also provides other functions such as safe searches and automatic suggestions. When you turn on personalized searches, Ecosia will not track your online movements.
Even when the pros of using private search engines outweigh the cons. They are still there, and we should consider them as well. Here are some general cons of preferring ones:
More people start taking measures to safeguard their privacy. Some of them are becoming as good as Google. They can also provide accurate results without extracting your privacy for their gains. Yet, you should make a Turbo VPN subscription plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It will give you an extra layer of security by hiding your IP address and location. You have a right to be in charge of your privacy.
