No more Google

[VicParticipant @vic]

What search engine do you folks use? I ask as the default with Safari on iPadOS was Google on my iPad. I’ve had to change this to DuckDuckGo as the Google AI results has been terribly inaccurate in some of my recent searches. Ecosia was another option out of the five in the OS, not seen that before.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Google has been driving me mad too, Vic

DuckDuckGo works for me

MichaelG.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

I rarely use Google — avoid it like the plague !!  I have used duckduckgo for many years and find it OK, not under any illusions though there will be a heap if my info distributed by ????? on the internet Bah !!

John

[Andy StopfordParticipant @andystopford50521]

DuckDuckGo for me. And I don’t use AI since no purpose of mine justifies the extravagant use of resources.

[samuel heywoodParticipant @samuelheywood23031]

startpage, ‘cos it’s private & google knows far too much about me already. LOL!

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

I’m on DDG, using Google as a second option. But I’m not really happy with either.

[Fulmen]

On Fulmen Said:

I’m on DDG, using Google as a second option. But I’m not really happy with either.

Why not?  Is it not finding stuff?

In my experience, mostly looking for technical facts, they’re broadly equivalent.  In the past Google were noticeably better, but DuckDuckGo have caught up.  Recently they’ve added an AI summariser, which can be ignored, but I’ve found it works well on factual searches.  Like other AI, it’s probably corrupted by beliefs, opinions, politics, notions and anything else on the web polluted by human emotion.  There is a lot of rubbish out there!

My searches are deliberately limited to avoid dubious information, and maybe Google and DDG are both too nanny for all tastes!  I don’t know which is the best search engine for ordering Cocaine on the dark-web…

Of the two, DDG is safer.   The issue with Google is that they collect and track personal information.  Given the internet is the wild-west, it’s unwise to share data on it unnecessarily.  What Google collect is mostly harmless when used to target legitimate advertising, but dangerous in the wrong hands.    It can be used to fuel a first class scam; one that has all the information needed to establish confidence.   Do you trust Google, or anyone else, to keep it safe?  I prefer to keep schtoom, blocking everything I can, and avoiding untrustworthy sites.

Unless they’re lying DuckDuckGo does not collect personal data.  That makes it my choice, despite the warts.

Any better alternatives in terms of privacy and search effectiveness?  I may be out of date.

Dave

 

 

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

On Fulmen Said:

But I’m not really happy with either.I don’t know which is the best search engine for ordering Cocaine on the dark-web…

 

Dave

 

 

Tor Browser.

(Currently using DDG, apparently. It’s probably the best, privacy-wise, but 100% safety isn’t likely to be attainable. It’s slower than conventional methods.)

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

@Dave: I too search mostly for technical topics, and Google is still better. The gap IS closing, but not because DDG is getting better IMHO. I don’t really fret too much about privacy, it’s the sheer power of Google I don’t like. I do not welcome our new corporate overlords.

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

Interesting that nobody seems to know Startpage. I use this (almost) exclusive on PC and Smartphone. It finds all I search for, and it does not collect my data.

Try it, you will not be disappointed.

Btw, it would be interesting to agree about one (or several) search items, and then compare say the first 5 answers from the different search engines.

Kind regards
Hans

[Versaboss]

On Versaboss Said:

Interesting that nobody seems to know Startpage.

Kind regards
Hans

It’s been at the top of my favourites on my iPad for a long time. I just never think to use it. I’ll have to remember.

[Morse HomologyParticipant @morsehomology91685]

I use Brave Search; it’s definitely better than google, though it misses things on the “long tail” sometimes. Also exclusively use their browser. I hate looking at ads (except on here).

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I occasionally find I have accidentally entered a query into the Explorer url entry box and it goes off giving me Bing results. Rather annoying that it can’t be changed. No i don’t want to use Chrome or whatever other browser.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Bazyle – assume you are using Edge? If so, look at the instructions for altering default search engine, for example here https://www.howtogeek.com/221709/how-to-change-your-default-search-engine-in-microsoft-edge/

Rob

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Thanks Rob. I had changed the default to Google and assumed it was ignoring it but your link showed me another setting that I needed to change to “address bar”.

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