Google alternatives that don’t sell all your data
Google is one of the best examples of “If it’s free, you’re the product.” And its employees, business decisions, stock price, biases and preferences have a big impact on what its “products” (Smile! That’s you and me!) see when we use Google Search.
When I look at Google’s ad-choked search results, antitrust woes and stalker-like approach to tracking us, I can’t really trust the results I get are fair, balanced or even just thorough. Add in search bias on political topics and large brands getting all the shine in the search algorithm, and we’ve got a problem.
I hear from a reader, viewer or listener just about every day who’s looking for ways not to use Google Search.
Google isn’t the only search game in town
Dennis in Reno, Nevada, sent me a note the other day, asking if Google had purchased the search engine DuckDuckGo. Nope, they haven’t. That’s fake news spreading online.
He also asked me for “the best product to avoid Google tracking and search manipulation (i.e., logarithm).” It’s algorithm, friend. I don’t want you to embarrass yourself in polite tech circles. The “best” product really depends on what you like. I’ve got options for ya. But first …
Follow the money
Wondering how Google’s competitors make money if they’re not shilling your info to anyone with a buck to spend? Most alternative search engines make money in three ways:
- They show ads based on your search keyword, not your browsing habits or behavior.
- They get an extra sliver of the action when you click an ad and make a purchase.
- They sell premium subscriptions for ad-free searches and their other products.
Try a privacy-first search engine
You won’t see AI tools like ChatGPT in this list since I’m sticking with traditional search engines. There are endless options, but here’s a good place to start:
- DuckDuckGo: Its entire gimmick is its lack of user tracking, as well as a company policy of no targeted ads or relevant results based on your search history. I don’t use DuckDuckGo, though; I seem to get better search results from the next option.
- StartPage: The Netherlands-based company calls itself “the world’s most private search engine.” StartPage pays Google for the use of its search algorithm but strips out the tracking and advertising that comes with it. As a result, you get a Google-like experience, along with the promise your data will never be stored, tracked or sold.
- Ecosia: It’s a traditional search engine, ads and all, but its profits go to planting trees worldwide — over 217 million to date and counting. Ecosia doesn’t sell your data, and its searches are encrypted. They collect “a small amount of data” by default; you can opt out.
- Dogpile: Google, Yahoo, Bing and all the rest have their own ways of sorting through search results. Dogpile combs through them all to help you find what you’re looking for.
Fed up? Alternatives to Google for search, email, messaging and more
Think for a minute about what Google doesn’t know about you. Its search engine dominates the competition, and it runs apps and services that know what you’re watching, where you’re going and what you’re interested in online.