Get Google Search Results With More Privacy Using the Start Page
When it comes to web search, privacy-minded people have probably already heard of DuckDuckGo. Fast Company wrote this week about an alternative to a search engine called Startpage, which if you’re a DuckDuckGo user is also worth looking into.
Unlike DuckDuckGo, Startpage displays real Google search results thanks to a long-standing agreement with the company. Difference between using Startpage and Google directly; however, is that you are not being tracked while you are doing this search.
This means that the search results will not be served specifically to you, as if you were searching on Google. Startpage does not collect, transmit or store any personally identifiable information about you when you use it.
So looking for a new pair of tennis shoes won’t end up bombarding you with shoe advertisements next month. Startpage also cannot provide the authorities with information about you and your search history, because it simply does not have this history.
All search results also have anonymous browsing options that allow you to visit your search results, such as this shoe site, without the seller being able to track you and know you were there.
If you’re concerned about online privacy (you should be) and DuckDuckGo’s search results aren’t always as good as you’d like, it’s definitely worth taking a look.