The internet search engine Startpage: the alternative to using Google search, which allows you to stop Google fand Facebook from collecting your search data.
Introduction:
The phrase Ask Google shows how the term Search Engine and the name Google have become synonyms. The verb Google It, used synonymous with “Look on a search engine for that information” shows how successfully Google is inserted itself into our worldwide culture. But we all know that Google and FaceBook, both have become famous for something else: collecting and sharing data on their users, which lets users know they are being watched very closely. Things like Targeted Sales Ads, which try to sell you products that you searched for, or are related to topics you searched for arrive to your Google Mail inbox, as email offers, text messages, and as Robot phone calls.
While this is sometimes very convenient, it also illustrates that your searches are not private. The degree of the loss of Privacy has begun to alarm the users of these services as the Ads are very personalized and include your name, address, phone number, and what you were searching for…. A chilling reminder of the effect of the Terms of Service…the very small print which stretches for pages, and that virtually nobondy reads. These Terms give Google and FaceBook complete control over your Personal Date they collect and allow them to sell and share it with anyone they want to share or sell it to…for perpetuity or forever.
Privacy without giving up Googles Legendary Search Engine Capabilities
Privacy is the priority at StartPage, but they have achieved it without giving up with Googles famous search engine advantages. They do it basically by routing your searches through their servers and then onto Google. They then set-up their software code to hide your IP address and other identifying features, which make data collection extremely difficult as it is an anonymous search. An anonymous search is useless data to advertisers, so it is useless data to Google. This means you have Legendary Google Search capabilities and privacy at the same time.
Startpage specifically does the following:
Personal data and search history are never recorded. IP address is removed by servers they manage. Startpage blocks price trackers. Startoage prevents retargeting ads. Your search is anonymous. Startpage view browsing software masks user’s identity on other websites. This results in completely unprofiled search results, delivering the same information to any user
Non-private search engines, you know who these are…, specifically do these things:
Record search history, personal data and location (IP address). Record and share IP address; process personal data on cloud servers. Allow other websites to track and profile users for advertising. Deliver targeted ads based on user’s location and browsing history. “Private mode” still logs browsing activity in the system, just not the user’s device. Profiled search results based on IP address and browsing behavior
How Startpage Works, the technical specifics:
Immediate removal of personal data
Personal data, including IP address, are immediately removed by our first layer of servers, which are locked in secure cabinets in The Netherlands and globally (known as our “on-premise” servers).
Startpage is your protective barrier from Big Tech
The second layer of servers (“application” servers) is responsible for calling our search result providers, and are completely free of personal or identifying data.
Receive unprofiled search results
Unprofiled and unpersonalized search results are returned via the on-premise server. The first three results above “web results” will be contextualized ads (meaning ads related to your search term, but not your search or browsing history).
Startpage goes beyond private search with Anonymous View private browsing
Startpage’s protection goes beyond search with our Anonymous View proxy feature. Located to the left of each search result, people can access and explore entire websites privately.
Search queries are deleted
Sensitive information (like search queries) is never saved in Startpage internal logs or databases. There will be no history or profile of anyone’s search on Startpage, ever.
Summary:
Your personal data is being collected and monetized, i.e. income being gebnerated by Google and FaceBook, and they are not only not sharing any of the revenue with you, but they have been hacked several times with the release of what the US government considers sensitive user data like name, address, age, sometimes birthdate, number of family members, each family members search data and your interactions with friends. While you may deem it a fair trade to utilize these useful services in exchange for letting them sell your personal data to advertisers. This knowledge gives you a choice, and that is one of the most basic freedoms a human can have: choice.
The End…for now.
References for above quotes:
https://www.startpage.com/en/how-startpage-works/
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/startpage-%E2%80%94-private-searc/fgmjlmbojbkmdpofahffgcpkhkngfpef/related