J.B. Nicholson-Owens:
> I don't understand how the searx metasearch engine lives up to its claim
of being "Tracking free"[1] or "privacy respecting"[2].
Meta search are useful as proxies. A given Searx instance can still track
you by logging your search queries, but it's still much better than everyone
sending all their queries directly to Google, Yahoo, Bing or DuckDuckGo,
which allow them to accumulate tons-and-tons of information about everyone.
Searx instances provide decentralization, in the sense that not all search
queries of everyone are logged in one place. That's why Searx much better
for freedom and privacy compared to Google or DuckDuckGo.
Staring you own Searx instance is mostly useful for other people to use, not
you, at least not directly. It's better for your privacy to use other
people's instances, while providing a Searx instance for others.
J.B. Nicholson-Owens:
> Depending on the details, the metasearch engine and/or the dependent search
engines can record time/datestamps, IP addresses, queries, and returned
results at a minimum.
When you use other people's instances dependent search engines can't get your
IP address or any useful tracking information about you.
Magic Banana:
> DockDuckGo, Ixquick and Startpage promise that they neither store the IP
address of their users nor their user agents. [...] I would feel better if
searx.me would do the same promise.
Promises are worthless. Especially worthless when give by a commercial
interest, such as DuckDuckGo. Searx instances provide a much more real and
practical solution for privacy, even if there could be a lot more work done.
