MODULE 16
Search & Browsing Habits
What you search for is one of the most intimate datasets that exists. Here's how to take it back.
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Search Engine Comparison
| ENGINE | TRACKS YOU | PERSONALISES RESULTS | OWN INDEX | RECOMMENDED | LINK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YES | YES | YES | AVOID | Profiles your interests, sells to advertisers | |
| Bing | YES | YES | YES | AVOID | Microsoft collects extensive search data |
| DuckDuckGo | NO | NO | PARTIAL | GOOD | duckduckgo.com ↗ |
| Startpage | NO | NO | GOOGLE PROXY | GOOD | startpage.com ↗ |
| Brave Search | NO | NO | YES | BEST | search.brave.com ↗ |
| Ecosia | MINIMAL | PARTIAL | BING-BASED | OKAY | ecosia.org ↗ |
| SearXNG | NO | NO | META-SEARCH | TECHNICAL | searx.space ↗ |
RECOMMENDATION:
Brave Search for daily use (independent index, no tracking). Startpage if you need Google-quality results without Google tracking you.
The Truth About Incognito / Private Mode
WHAT IT DOES
- Doesn't save your browser history locally
- Doesn't save cookies after you close the window
- Doesn't save form data or passwords locally
- Keeps different sessions isolated from each other
WHAT IT DOES NOT DO
- Hide your IP address from websites
- Hide your activity from your ISP
- Hide your activity from your employer (on work networks)
- Prevent browser fingerprinting
- Stop trackers on the page from running
- Hide what you're doing from Google if you're logged in
Google settled a $5 billion lawsuit in 2024 over collecting data from users in "private" Chrome windows. Incognito does not mean invisible.