DUCKDUCKGO.COM - the private search engine - STOP using GOOGLE!!

[V4Vendetta]

https://www.duckduckgo.com/

Is a totally privacy oriented search engine.
They don't record your ip address, your search terms, or clicks.
And the search results (i think) are extremely better than Google. Infact they don't even use Google for their search results
They offer total customization - including stretching the webpage to full wide screen if you are using the new widescreen format.

Go there and click "Settings" under the search box - you will be amazed at the features you can customize. :-)
The sole founder has a Masters degree from MIT - Video Below

Because of the way Google is becoming, I decided to stop using all Google services. including android - just need to find a new smartphone to use.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pELklTzTel0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMZ7DI1GjM0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17C6ShSPQws

[bwlibertyman]

I like that layout. I use www.startpage.com It's motto is "the world's most private search engine". I might switch to this one though.

[flightlesskiwi]

+rep. nice find! thx!

[V4Vendetta]

I like that layout. I use www.startpage.com It's motto is "the world's most private search engine". I might switch to this one though.

I tried using them- however their functionality and settings is not NEAR www.duckduckgo.com

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

I tried using them- however their functionality and settings is not NEAR www.duckduckgo.com

Yeah, their proxy doesn't allow javascript or typing into search boxes = near useless.

[Kylie]

Right on! Thanks!!

[DamianTV]

I use https://ssl.scroogle.org as my home page. StartPage.com also tracks its users.

[Sam I am]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=most+private+search+engine

[bwlibertyman]

I use https://ssl.scroogle.org as my home page. StartPage.com also tracks its users.

Thanks. I'm changing.

[PastaRocket848]

iphone man. just do it. you won't regret it. it's a way better user experience.

[V4Vendetta]

it's a matter of preference - duckduckgo has a better layout and features in my opinion.
And its just as private as scroogle

[V4Vendetta]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=most+private+search+engine

That search pulls up results based on key words the admins put on the website. The top result is for ixquick. ixquick is the exact same thing as startpage, just under a different domain. startpage, startingpage, ixquick, are not NEAR the functionality of duckduckgo
Don't believe me? go to www.duckduckgo.com and look at the settings link - they have very impressive options there!

[_b_]

Just added to Firefox.

How can you guys tell how private these are? I don't really understand search engines and internet structure that well.

[Lafayette]

I have now stopped using google

[V4Vendetta]

Just added to Firefox.

How can you guys tell how private these are? I don't really understand search engines and internet structure that well.

Partly taking their word for it - read their privacy statement.
and Partly because of what the tech community thinks of it ;-)

[Steve-in-NY]

Im a privacy minded techie and I can honestly say DDG (ddg,gg) RULES. I keep in touch with Gabe (the founder) and Ive been using it for about a year now. The bang syntaxes are amazing.
duck it!

[V4Vendetta]

cool Steve that's awesome - I just found out about duckduckgo a few weeks ago... been using it ever since.
Hopefully he wont be pressured into selling it - no matter how much they offer him!

[DamianTV]

it's a matter of preference - duckduckgo has a better layout and features in my opinion.
And its just as private as scroogle

It is just a matter of preference.

If you block all cookies from search engines like I do, the options that are offered are no longer useful because those options are stored using cookies. And just because one websites Privacy Policy says they respect your Privacy is a whole lot different than actually not tracking people so they can sell your statistical data. The thing is, unless you look at the variable name and value of each cookie that any website tries to put on your computer, you wont know if they are tracking you or not. If you get a cookie that says Cookie_ID=189237591788956123, that is a Tracking Cookie, but one that says Layout_Style=Classic is one that is a useful option. But, in order to allow the Layout_Style, the ID Tracking Cookie has to be allowed also, and there is no real easy way for average computer users to differenciate between the two, and is even harder to allow one but not allow the other.

[LibForestPaul]

So, what is his business model.
1. provide me with free searches?
2. ?

[V4Vendetta]

He has adds from Amazon - one ad on each page - however you can disable that aswell.
But, I do not know, you'll have to ask him directly. He doesn't share search's with anyone because he has no information to sell - he doesn't record any

[purplechoe]

I've been using Bing for a while now because I got sick of Googles near monopoly as a search engines... Will gladly switch over to this one, thanks...

[headhawg7]

Thanks for the link. I set them to my new homepage when I open new tabs.

[Lothario]

yea, it doesn't work for me. every search I do just clears the search bar - no results, and stays on same homepage.

[jmdrake]

Well it's not private, but when you use Goodsearch.com it donates to the Campaign for Liberty.

See: http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/campaign-for-liberty.aspx

Question. If all Ron Paul supporters use private search engines for everything what will that do to Dr. Paul's search engine ratings?

[PeacePlan]

Well it's not private, but when you use Goodsearch.com it donates to the Campaign for Liberty.

See: http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/campaign-for-liberty.aspx

Question. If all Ron Paul supporters use private search engines for everything what will that do to Dr. Paul's search engine ratings?

That is sweet - wish they had one for Revolution Pac - I'm in f#@K google

[jmdrake]

That is sweet - wish they had one for Revolution Pac - I'm in f#@K google

Goodsearch only takes 501-C-3s. They'd get in trouble with the FEC if they allowed pacs.

[DamianTV]

Well it's not private, but when you use Goodsearch.com it donates to the Campaign for Liberty.

See: http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/campaign-for-liberty.aspx

Question. If all Ron Paul supporters use private search engines for everything what will that do to Dr. Paul's search engine ratings?

It may have taken a hit, but considering he is and has consistently been in the top 5 search terms on google in the last week, changing search engines doesnt really do that much.

[jmdrake]

It may have taken a hit, but considering he is and has consistently been in the top 5 search terms on google in the last week, changing search engines doesnt really do that much.

I'm thinking long term. I hadn't even heard of DuckDuckGo until a couple of days ago and I'm sure that's the same for most Ron Paul supporters. Anyway, I watched the videos and the creator didn't say they don't record the number of times something is searched, just that they don't tie that information to your IP address. If that's the case then maybe someday if/when DuckDuckGo becomes dominant we'll be topping the DDG trends. Should we start making signs that say "DuckDuckGo Ron Paul"? ;)

Another option would be to keep Googling Ron Paul just to keep him high, and use other search engines for your real work. That would take discipline though. Or some clever scripts. ;)

[V4Vendetta]

Well it's not private,
Question. If all Ron Paul supporters use private search engines for everything what will that do to Dr. Paul's search engine ratings?

How do you know DDG's not private?
If your worried about Google search ratings - use Google after a debate to search for Ron Paul - or whatever term you want to search to get at the top of Google ratings.

[jmdrake]

How do you know it's not private?

I was talking about Goodsearch, not DuckDuckGo. Goodsearch uses Yahoo for its search engine so it's fair to say that it is not private. But using it can help raise money for the C4L. Sorry about the confusion.



If your worried about Google search ratings - use Google after a debate to search for Ron Paul

Yeah. That's sort of what I said in my next post. ;) Actually I was saying using Google for all our Ron Paul searches. It's not like we'll get thrown into prison for Googling Ron Paul....at least not yet.

[V4Vendetta]

bump?

[V4Vendetta]

try to keep this thread going guys.... Google is a massive intelligence operation

[brandon]

duckduckgo? dude needs some serious marketing help.

[TexAg09]

lmao, as soon as I pulled up the website I just made it my default :)

Too bad the name will not allow it to become a household verb/noun

[V4Vendetta]

duckduckgo? dude needs some serious marketing help.

I know its pretty bad aint it lol

[ShowMeLiberty]

I like it. :)

I quit using anything from G**gle years ago - first because I believed their original site ranking premise was faulty (who cares about popularity - I want the best content) but then I started seeing how sneaky they were getting about spying on everyone, everywhere, all the time.

Been using Ixquick for a while now, but DuckDuckGo just seems more friendly. And I do like all the options. Thanks for sharing!

[Rael]

How do we know that these privacy oriented search engines are any more trustworthy than Google?

[V4Vendetta]

Their Privacy statement - its legally binding.
Google - yahoo - ect.. make no statements anywhere near that

[KevinR]

Is there a way to search images?

[V4Vendetta]

not sure try digging around there settings.

[V4Vendetta]

bump

[DamianTV]

https://ssl.scroogle.org/ FTW!

[banks11]

Thanks for the info about duckduckgo and scroogle, I'v use lots of different sites at the moment not knowing what is best for privacy / Liberty.
Is there any sort of "google trends" for these search engines in preparation ?
I google Ron Paul every time (or almost) I open firefox, would be cool if I didn't have to any more.
Facebook will be harder to extinguish -_-.

[pacelli]

Is there any sort of "google trends" for these search engines in preparation ?


I LOL'd. Need to get off the google titty, even if it is to google the popularity of their anti-google-themed competitors. :)

[V4Vendetta]

look

[ForLiberty2012]

I'm in

[Napolitanic Wars]

I've been using DuckDuck for a while now. It's good. It even helps narrow your search. I occasionally give in and use google simply because they fill in the rest of the sentence for you while duckduck makes you type the whole thing.

[ForLiberty2012]

Anyone know any good email clients that have this policy?

[DamianTV]

I've been using DuckDuck for a while now. It's good. It even helps narrow your search. I occasionally give in and use google simply because they fill in the rest of the sentence for you while duckduck makes you type the whole thing.

If you feel the need to give in and resort to Google, try a Scraper, which uses Google as the search engine, but hides your personal info from Google.

Your computer never talks to Google and for all practical purposes is completely invisible to that specific search. I've been using https://ssl.scroogle.org for a while as it uses POST data instead of GET, which in english means this: GET data appears in the address bar, and can be used to monitor search terms. POST is a different type of form method where the submitted info is not sent in the address bar. For example, this is GET data: hxxp://www.blahfoo.com/index.php?search=PIZZA, this is POST data: hxxp://www.fooblah.com/index.php .

The next problem with Google is Cookies and Advertising. If you do use Scroogle, or any other search engines, a lot of websites use Google Analytics to better understand their own websites. The Analytics used by Google all send that data straight back to Google, regardless if you use Google as your Search Engine or not. Analytics is used usually for the purpose of tracking users to websites. If it was just that website that tried to do the tracking, I probably would have less of a problem, although personally I still block 99.999% of cookies from every site. The Advertising side of Google, which is where they make their money, also tries to Track. The problem here is that it tracks you uniquely against whatever site that has any sort of Google software running on their site, so Google can still track you, even if you dont use Google as your Search Engine.

Couple suggestions:

Block ALL 3rd Party Cookies.
Get a firewall that monitors outgoing connections.
Use a HOSTS file to redirect traffic to known trackers.
Block Flash Cookies.
Block DOM Cookies (IE and Firefox)
Block Caching Cookies.
Find out how to beat the Evercookie. (I can help with that)
Use a different DNS server other than your ISP DNS Servers. I use 74.53.155.162 by AdBarricade
Use a Proxy such as Tor or Privoxy (sometimes painfully slow)
Use HTTPS for doing Web Searches with POST Data. Info is Encrypted.

Understand that ALL TRACKING METHODS are ENABLED BY DEFAULT IN ALL BROWSERS. You have to turn off these options, and as the Internet becomes more and more complex, so do Browsers, and methods of Tracking. Cookies is NOT the only method, but a popular method is to back up what I call HTTP cookies with FLASH COOKIES, so if you delete or block regular cookies, you can still be Tracked, without your knowledge, concent, or permission. Flash and HTTP are not the only means of tracking. There is another feature built into both IE and Firefox called Document Object Model, or DOM. Not sure about other browsers as I dont install them. Chrome is obviously a Google product, and you can imagine the data that gets sent back to Google about you uniquely. I will not be trying Chrome any time soon. Opera just sucks as a browser as far as I am concerned, but may review others when I get the chance, I just dont expect to find anything that satisfies my expectations and respects my Privacy.

I have recently come across other massibe problems with Firefox in that ANY DATA typed into your address bar is SEARCHED instead of just being sent to the site you requested. That means that everything you type in the address bar, not searching, just the address bar is sent back to Firefox. I can verify this by monitoring connections with a Firewall. I have not found a way around this from within Firefox yet, but it is defeatable by not allowing Firefox to talk back to their servers, and this has pissed me off to the extent that I no longer use Firefox as my primary browser.

If anyone wants help on trying to protect their Privacy on the net, or has technical questions, feel free to send me a PM and I will do what I can to help.

[AGRP]

Outside of pictures, its good.

[Tod]

cool!....made the move myself!

my first search yielded this very fine short video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx723-n1wPA&feature=player_embedded

[Napolitanic Wars]

I'll check it out damian. Also...


Outside of pictures, its good.

What do you mean? It allows you to search for pictures through google or bing. It's the same thing.

[DamianTV]

I'll check it out damian. Also...



What do you mean? It allows you to search for pictures through google or bing. It's the same thing.

I think she is just saying that the Image Searches on Google and Bing dont function properly through Scrapers.

[iGGz]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but I prefer http://www.startingpage.com/

Check it out.

https://www.startingpage.com/eng/aboutstartingpage/

[DamianTV]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but I prefer http://www.startingpage.com/

Check it out.

https://www.startingpage.com/eng/aboutstartingpage/

No cookies, HTTPS, uses POST data, looks decent so far...

[V4Vendetta]

bump

[V4Vendetta]

hey look

[keh10]

Hey, just started using duckduckgo and I'm happy so far. Does anyone know of any good homepage alternatives to igoogle? I really like the setup of igoogle in that it is so heavily customizable. I'd like to find a similar alternative that will keep my privacy.

[Pericles]

Switched from scroogle to duckduckgo and am happy with it.

[DamianTV]

There is https://ssl.scroogle.com but as a Google Scraper, they've been getting blocked by Google for the last couple of days. Guess google doesnt like the idea of Scrapers. They want to know WHO you are and WHAT you are searching for on the web.

[iGGz]

[{}]

[Marenco]

I refuse to use duckduckgo.com because I hate the graphic and the name!

I know I already said this but I prefer startingpage.com

indeed. startpage is good.

[iGGz]

[{}]

[RCA]

switched

[NewRightLibertarian]

I try to use it as much as possible, but I still use Google to track news.

[TheViper]

There is https://ssl.scroogle.com but as a Google Scraper, they've been getting blocked by Google for the last couple of days. Guess google doesnt like the idea of Scrapers. They want to know WHO you are and WHAT you are searching for on the web.
From a general business standpoint, they probably don't like them feeding off their algorithms either.

[V4Vendetta]

bump

[cdc482]

iphone man. just do it. you won't regret it. it's a way better user experience.
one word. foxcon.

[JK/SEA]

been using DDG for a couple months now, and the black SUV's have finally left my neighborhood...


j/k

[heavenlyboy34]

fwiw, there are several good "anonymizers" out there which allow you to use the webbernet privately-even google.

[V4Vendetta]

fwiw, there are several good "anonymizers" out there which allow you to use the webbernet privately-even google.

True but for the layman... this is a very good option

[V4Vendetta]

bump!!

[WilliamShrugged]

switched to startpage

[V4Vendetta]

howdy folks, been awhile

[angelatc]

it's a matter of preference - duckduckgo has a better layout and features in my opinion.
And its just as private as scroogle


i used scroogle as my back up to duckduck go. but it's gone now, i think.

[DamianTV]

Remember that Google is on BOTH ends of Web Searches. So not using Google as your homepage still has a risk of running into Google Analytics on pretty much each and every site you land on. If people really want to move towards a Google that knows LESS about you, make sure your computer isnt talking to Google on EITHER side of Web Searches.

Dont use Google. Scrapers, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, etc.
Dont Land on Google Analytics: Block them using a HOSTS file.

Worst of all, dont let them chain these things together. Block Google Cookies and do NOT log into any Google Services. Gmail, YouTube, etc. Also, research other forms of Tracking: Flash Cookies: DOM Cookies, etc.

You wont be able to completely prevent your computer from talking to Google on all websites. But you can make sure that you are just an anonymous face in the crowd every time your computer does talk to Google.

[HOLLYWOOD]

I support D2Go, but their search engine sucks... wish they would buildup their news feed too.

I do like that D2Go responds very quickly to inquires and questions too. I hope they can buildup their business. Hope they get free market financing... not the rigged bullshit of Fascist-Government-Wall St 'Farcebook', etc.

[V4Vendetta]

Ghostery plugin for your browser blocks cookies, including Google analytics.
I just visited a page I saw linked on here for a news news story on ABC... that sucker had 61.... that's 61 freaking cookies on that page!!!!! I had to pause blocking in order to watch the video, the video wouldn't load unless you let the cookies have access to your browser.
Startpage is good also

[TruckinMike]

https://www.startpage.com/graphics/startp_logo.gif

STARTPAGE.COM is real, no hype anonymous search engine(w/ proxy browsing as well).

Startpage and Ixquick have Katherine Albrecht as the US spokes person. Katherine has been a part of the liberty movement for a very long time and avid Ron Paul supporter to boot. Privacy is her passion and "Spy Chips" is her latest book. I listen to her radio show at least a couple of times a week - she most definitely is one of us.

From Katherine's website:
(http://www.katherinealbrecht.com/index.php)

For Privacy's Sake, Switch to Startpage

Dear Colleague:

Recent privacy discussions about Microsoft and Google have re-ignited the important debate about search engine privacy. In a CNBC interview aired last week, the issue was made clear:

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines -- including Google -- do retain this information for some time and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information could be made available to the authorities."

[Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6e7wfDHzew ]


Even a Mozilla executive is now recommending on his blog that people look at alternative search engines for privacy reasons.
[Source: http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/asa/archives/2009/12/if_you_have_nothing.html ]

Startpage (www.startpage.com) by Ixquick is a search engine that is uniquely positioned to be that alternative. Fully focused on privacy since 2006, Startpage (known as Ixquick.com in Europe) is the only major search engine that does not retain your personal data.

Startpage's privacy policy is widely considered the best in the industry:

- No recording of your IP address.
- No identifying cookies.
- No collecting of personal data.
- No sharing of personal data with third parties.
- Offering secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL)
- And a full proxy service to be launched next month.

This information could be a useful resource to your audience in these important discussions.
Please contact me if you would like additional information, or to arrange a phone or radio interview.

Sincerely,

Dr. Katherine Albrecht
US Media Relations, Startpage by Ixquick
(877) 434-3100

From Startpage.com...


No PRISM. No Surveillance. No Government Back Doors. You Have our Word on it.
Giant US government Internet spying scandal revealed

The Washington Post and The Guardian have revealed a US government mass Internet surveillance program code-named "PRISM". They report that the NSA and the FBI have been tapping directly into the servers of nine US service providers, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Yahoo, YouTube, AOL and Skype, and began this surveillance program at least seven years ago. (clarifying slides)

These revelations are shaking up an international debate.

StartPage has always been very outspoken when it comes to protecting people's Privacy and civil liberties. So it won't surprise you that we are a strong opponent of overreaching, unaccountable spy programs like PRISM. In the past, even government surveillance programs that were begun with good intentions have become tools for abuse, for example tracking civil rights and anti-war protesters.

Programs like PRISM undermine our Privacy, disrupt faith in governments, and are a danger to the free Internet.

StartPage and its sister search engine Ixquick have in their 14-year history never provided a single byte of user data to the US government, or any other government or agency. Not under PRISM, nor under any other program in the US, nor under any program anywhere in the world.

Here's how we are different:

StartPage does not store any user data. We make this perfectly clear to everyone, including any governmental agencies. We do not record the IP addresses of our users and we don't use tracking cookies, so there is literally no data about you on our servers to access. Since we don't even know who our customers are, we can't share anything with Big Brother. In fact, we've never gotten even a single request from a governmental authority to supply user data in the fourteen years we've been in business.

StartPage uses encryption (HTTPS) by default. Encryption prevents snooping. Your searches are encrypted, so others can't "tap" the Internet connection to snoop what you're searching for. This combination of not storing data together with using strong encryption for the connections is key in protecting your Privacy.

Our company is based in The Netherlands, Europe. US jurisdiction does not apply to us, at least not directly. Any request or demand from ANY government (including the US) to deliver user data, will be thoroughly checked by our lawyers, and we will not comply unless the law which actually applies to us would undeniably require it from us. And even in that hypothetical situation, we refer to our first point; we don't even have any user data to give. We will never cooperate with voluntary spying programs like PRISM.

StartPage cannot be forced to start spying. Given the strong protection of the Right to Privacy in Europe, European governments cannot just start forcing service providers like us to implement a blanket spying program on their users. And if that ever changed, we would fight this to the end.

Privacy. It's not just our policy, it's our mission.

Sincerely,

Robert E.G. Beens
CEO StartPage.com and Ixquick.com

[The Free Hornet]

www.duckduckgo.com here! What is interesting about scroogle - aside from where it points to now (http://www.scroogle.com) - is that Microsoft chose that word to market against Google and promote Bing:

http://www.scroogled.com

I don't have a dog in the 'which alternative is best' fight, so long as people do, en masse, use alternatives. If people, especially those in the liberty movement, continue to patronize companies like google, microsoft, apple, and facebook, then John Stossel will have proved his point correct (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?417751-John-Stossel-Pipe-down-NSA-is-stopping-terrorists-from-hurting-us) (in that our complicity with private organizations is an equally big privacy issue).

[Schifference]

I used Startpage a couple of years ago and thought that the results were terrible. I just loaded it back on my computer & searched for a pest control / exterminator in my town and was unable to find the name of the company I was looking for. I did this same exact search on Google last night and found the company with ease.