I have used SearXNG for a while, but I switched to LibreX after the search engine started glitching. Recently, though, LibreX has stopped returning any results. I am currently on Mojeek, but the results aren’t that great.
I have also tried Qwant, but I wasn’t too keen on it. Startpage will be impractical, as I use a VPN and this engine often blocks me because of it. I don’t want to use Brave Search for a number of reasons. MetaGer has too many important features behind its paywall. I’m not sure about DuckDuckGo, but I could use it if there was no other option.
Any suggestions, or am I being too picky?
Why are people so against DDG here? Just wondering because I use it and think it’s fine
Anything US based should be avoided.
General good practice
US-based meaning 3 letter agencies can get your data without a court order and that you aren’t protected by the GDPR if you don’t live in the EU
They track their users, even though not tracking users is supposed to be their thing.
I’m wondering the same. ddg has been great for me.
US is a big red flag
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DDG is basically Bing
I’m not sure this is really a solvable problem but at the end of the day, DuckDuckGo is a for profit corporation. Privacy is more of a marketing angle than something they actually care about. Last year they allowed Microsoft to track mobile users of their “privacy focused” browser which is obviously against their stated purpose for existing. They backtracked after facing backlash but it’s done lasting damage to their reputation. They also got caught by a security researcher, they weren’t at all upfront about it. I think that’s enough to shatter any hope that they are genuine or trustworthy.
Because it’s just a proxy for Bing, with all the pitfalls of that.
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I think they got bought out by Microsoft or something, so naturally people are weary of it now.
They use bing results but they most certainly weren’t bought by Microsoft. They have a deal with Microsoft to use their results without tracking. At least to my knowledge. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
They had been contractually obligated to allow certain MS ad cookies/trackers as part of a big money deal, but I believe they were able to get those requirements removed and it’s actually zero trackers now.
Oh right, thanks I wasn’t sure I just knew they made some deal with Microsoft