Google knows a whole lot about us. It carries out overĀ 40,000Ā searches a second ā and all of the details of these searches are logged for the companyās benefit. Maybe you think a search engine shouldnāt have that much reach in our lives? There are options to make your searches private ā but how private are they?
To perform a private Google search, users should leverage the Tor web browser without a Google account. Popular search engines like Startpage and Searx provide Google results anonymously. The private browsing tab or Incognito mode clears browsing history and data when closed.
Learn how to sidestep all this monitoring and keep your searches genuinely private. The first question to ask yourself: Do all my searches need to be on Google?

Itās Your Fault Google Is The #1 Search Engine
Googleās search engine isĀ excellent. And it should be: theyāve spent enough money on it.Ā
This search segment of Alphabet (Googleās parent company) boasts superior features such as
- a personalized user experience
- an extremely easy-to-use interface
- the most cutting-edge search algorithms
- continuously evolves to discover the most relevant results
Thereās no wonder itās still so popular, despite its shortcomings in privacy. We continue to give almost 85% of our searches worldwide to the company! Online privacyĀ has never been such a hot topic, particularly consideringĀ data breachesĀ are at an all-time high. Still, somehow the convenience of Google overrides our collective misgivings regarding privacy.
I donāt have anything against the company per se: it is a fantastic tool. IĀ doĀ feel that we collectively downplay the importance of privacy at times.Ā
Hereās Why
Google has a commercial imperative to sell ads. Research shows that most people do not scroll to the bottom of the first page of search results and spend little time on content below the visible limit of their screens ā also known asĀ theĀ fold.
Anything above the fold is more lucrative, so much of that space is taken up by paid ads.
If you do a Google search for ābuy shirts,ā you will have to scroll down to see organic results. While some might argue that the paid results are helpful and save time, it is clear that those results are designed to favor advertisers, which will, in turn, influence behavior.
So, canāt you use Google Chromeās Incognito or a private browsing tab?

Incognito Mode or Private Tabs are Not Private
Judging from several conversations Iāve had, most people think that switching to Incognito or InPrivate hides all their online activity from prying eyes. Simply not true.Ā
In itsĀ description of Incognito mode, the Google Chrome browser is relatively upfront about its limitations:
Chrome wonāt save the following information: Your browsing history, cookies and site data, [or] information entered in forms. Your activity might still be visible to: Websites that you visit, your employer or school, [or] your Internet service provider.ā
Itās essential to differentiate between two types of anonymity: local and online. The distinction depends on where your online searches and activities are recorded.Ā
Evidence of your activity can be storedĀ locallyĀ on your computer ā this is the case for your browser history, cookies, saved passwords, and the like.Ā
In contrast,Ā online anonymityĀ by online trackers, browser extensions, search engines, internet service providers (ISPs), cybercriminals, or even government agencies.
Google Chromeās Incognito mode, Microsoft Edgeās InPrivate browsing, and other browsersā āprivateā tab feature usually give users local anonymity. Details of your online searches are deleted when the tab or window is closed, thus removing the history from the local device.Ā
However, your data is still visible to the other actors mentioned above whenever youāre online. Your deviceās IP address, general location, operating system, and additional metadata are logged and available for data mining regardless of your browserās privacy mode.
The same applies to Bing, Yahoo, and other big tech search engines.Ā
Private browsing tabs and windows do not fully protect your browsing history.
The proof that private tabs are not private is in Googleās privacy guidelines and the courts. A judge in California recently ruled thatĀ Google has to face a class-action lawsuit that claims it secretly collects information from users, even when they switch to Incognito mode.
Switch To Alternative Search Engines
While Google, Bing, and Yahoo are stalwart search engines, if you want to protect your privacy online, there are other much more effective search sites for you. They protect the confidentiality of your search history. Some also help you break out of the filter bubble by using a different search index.
Search Engines That Give Google Results
Searx
Searx is better than Google when it comes to filter bubbles and privacy. It searches a range of search enginesĀ on your behalf. You can enable Google in Searx and use it without giving up your personal information. The search results areĀ non-individualized and unbiased; it doesnāt know anything about its users.
There are downsides:
- Searx doesnāt offer search suggestions or extra image filter options.
- Searx is federated or decentralized. You need to trust the volunteer hosting the Searx instance with your search history.
StartPage
This privacy-focused search engine is designed to deliver comprehensive and diverse results like Google without unwanted third-party cookies, targeted ads, or tracking.
Start Page is based in the Netherlands and is independently audited byĀ EuroPriSe, a certifying authority backed by multiple European privacy organizations.
Another excellent feature is itsĀ Anonymous ViewĀ which protects you against tracking by acting as a buffer between you and the results web page you want to visit.
Search Engines With Non-Google Results Or Indicies
Brave Search
Brave Search is my favorite go-to search engine. Developed by the same company to produce the Brave Browser, it promises not to log personal data like IP addresses and browsing activity. It helps me block trackers that follow internet users from one website to another. I can also customize my privacy settings.
DuckDuckGo
If you need more comprehensive search results and customizations, check out DuckDuckGo.
This search engine advertises that it doesnāt track your IP and logs search queries that may identify you. Search terms are only recorded to track trends and enhance search results while keeping your session private.
DuckDuckGoās browser extension also helps block trackers on any sites you visit. This handy addition shows which trackers have been blocked and can notify you about any untoward privacy policy or practice. You can also use it in combination with other privacy extensions.
The only drawback is DDG uses Microsoftās Bing results and ad network to show ads on the results page. These ads are not based on your search activity or personal search, and you can be disabled.
Qwant
This is another privacy-focused search engine based in France. It promises to keep your browsing habits secret and helps protect you from getting sucked into a filter bubble. It is governed by data privacy regulations that are much tougher than those in many other countries, including the US.
Other noteworthy search engines with good for privacy include:

(My Recommended) Best Alternative Search Engines
Using any of these alternative search engines will considerably enhance your privacy online. Typically, your activity is not recorded, and your information does not create a profile used to show you ads.
My top search engines are also easy to use and return comprehensive and diverse search results.
I use Brave Search because of its focus on privacy; it supports keyboard shortcuts known as ābangs,ā which allow me to search other websites directly. For instance, if I want to visit the Wikipedia article for lion, I type: !w lion
, and it takes me there.
Iāll sometimes fall back to using DuckDuckGo (instead of Bing). If I need Google results, Iāll use a !sp
bang to search StartPage.
If I need to visit Google, Iāll use a VPN, likeĀ Mullvad or theĀ Tor browser.
How To Switch Default Search Engines
When you enter a search query (not a website address) in the top browser bar, your default search engine is given the query. Most are set to Google, but you can change this:
In Google Chrome
- Open Chrome
- In the upper right of the new window, click the three-dots icon to open the menu
- Click āSettingsā
- Open the drop-down menu to the right of āSearch engine used in the address barā
- Select a new default search bar
These instructions should work for other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and my recommendedĀ Brave browser.
In Firefox
- Open Firefox
- Click the āthree linesā icon
- Select āOptionsā
- Click āSearchā in the left sidebar
- Scroll down and click the drop-down menu under āDefault Search Engineā
- Select a search engine to use as the default