this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2024
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Privacy

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if you looking for a good alternative for google search, try "SearXNG" (lemmy.ca)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by ColdWater@lemmy.ca to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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actually awesome and fast search engine (depending on which instance you use) with no trashy AI and ADs results also great for privacy, if you don't know which instance to use go to https://searx.space/ and choose an instance closest to you

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[–] OfficerBribe@lemm.ee 11 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Aren't all search queries available to whoever hosts an instance? In my eyes this is much worse to privacy and a much bigger risk unless you really know who is behind your chosen instance. I would trust some a company a bit more with safeguarding this information so it does not leak to some random guy.

[–] macgyver@federation.red 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

As someone who hosts an instance, news to me lol

Edit: Developer says this can't be done currently? Reddit comment

[–] Derp@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Of course it can be done, check your web server logs.

If you are using GET requests to send search queries to searxng, what you searched for will show up in the logs as

2024-10-31 123.321.0.100 /?query=kinky+furry+pictures

If you use POST requests the server admin can also easily enable logging those.

People hosting searxng can absolutely see what you searched for, along with your IP address, user agent string etc.

[–] macgyver@federation.red 2 points 3 weeks ago

Well my instance’s logs are sent to null for this reason already, but thank you for the info!

[–] OfficerBribe@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Thanks for clarification and great that this is not included in project, but couldn't someone change the server side code and somehow see more info that goes through?

I know there is that HTML check in https://searx.space/ to see if search interface code is not heavily modified, but on server side anything could go on.

If requests are encrypted in a way that searxng does not see contents then it probably is not trivial to do, but there always is a possibility something clever could be done.

[–] tooclose104@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It doesn't bother me one bit of you know my search history. You'll learn I search a word to see if I know your to spell it properly and that I DIY a lot of stuff lol

[–] TwinTusks@bitforged.space 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Billions of Chinese also aren't bothered that they live under surveillance, but it isn't right.

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 1 points 3 weeks ago

Good thing it only happens to the Chinese...

[–] sik0fewl@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Companies are definitely selling your data. Use a VPN.

[–] Derp@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A VPN will not save you, they are easily worse for privacy in terms of user tracking. It centralises your entire web traffic in a single place for the VPN provider to track (and potentially sell).

[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You either trust the ISP or a VPN. Its a tool not a blanket of protection. Opsec and knowing how to move is most important.

[–] notprogrammer@programming.dev 1 points 3 weeks ago

But you pay more for what is essentially the same with a VPN. You have to buy a VPN subscription on top of your internet subscription, get less speed because your internet traffic is being routed through a different country and get no benefit to privacy. The only use case for a VPN is when you have to bypass georestrictions.

[–] ColdWater@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

btw

[–] usernameusername@lemm.ee 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I'd use it if its public instances didn't get rate-limited so often

[–] egsaqmojz@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

i get a lot of simpsons pictures in the image results for some rsn

[–] monovergent@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago

same here but with hentai on searx.be

[–] alehc@slrpnk.net 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Kagi works great for me. 100% worth it, best engine I've tried.

Edit: If you are curious about their privacy policy https://kagi.com/privacy.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

5 dollars for 300 searches per month? Dafuk? And to top it up, need an actual account with email. Gets acquired in a couple of years, and all the data they gather on you gets sold. You'd be better off staying with Google.

[–] alehc@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 weeks ago

The family plan (w/ unlimited searches) is better value. Also the whole point of charging upfront is that personal data plays no role on its business model. Ofc there's still the risk of it being acquired but the userbase (even if small atm) is still growing and (allegedly) is now profitable.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

it's like using google from 2000's; thanks for sharing

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago

If you set it as your default search in chrome or such, it will convert the Google search bar in Android to a SearXNG search bar. I started using it a little while back. Firefox never did well for me on Android (I'm sure it's anecdotal)

[–] drwho 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's pretty nice. The REST API for running searches makes running SearxNG worth it, if nothing else.

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago

Could you elaborate on what you mean by that?

[–] cmgvd3lw@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

How is it compared to DDG?

[–] ColdWater@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I never use DDG before, but I think it's pretty similar since DDG and SearX index their results from Bing (SearX and also index from Google, qwant... if you enable them), but SearX is decentralized and open source but DDG at core is not, you also have to trust DDG with your info (who know? maybe they lie about their privacy policy but I hope not)

[–] liliumstar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 weeks ago

In terms of search results, ddg sometimes will find very specific searches better and has more bells and whistles. I still prefer SearXNG, and have been using my instance almost exclusively since setting it up.

[–] macabrett@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago

Did anyone else not know Lycos was still around? Lycos is still around. Seems not that bad. No AI stuff.

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's ok at best, when it works. When it runs out of API hits for the day at noon, you need to use something like https://searx.neocities.org/ and retype your search multiple times until you manage to hit an instance that can actually perform a search.

Also, no suggestions.

[–] RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I use this daily and just wanted to highlight two downsides: 1 some instances are quite slow in response 2 some instances are non English, so everything except search results might be unreadable unless you know that language

The second one has been happening less frequently recently though, not sure if there are just more English instances or some other reason behind it.

[–] ben_dover@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago

have been using it for a while on my mobile and so far i like it better than ddg or startpage

[–] DieserTypMatthias@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

Dig out old PC from somewhere, install some Linux distribution, Tailscale and Docker/Podman, and install SearX that way.

[–] foremanguy92_@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

The best thing is to self host it, to have better uptimes and custom default settings

[–] Arkhive@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 weeks ago

4get.ca has been great for me.

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago

Using it on my own server since... Ages ☺️ Can only recommend it. Even though google's results are often... Weird up to completely unhelpful.

[–] Mixel@szmer.info 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I use ononoki for almost a half year without effort.

[–] RatzChatsubo@lemm.ee 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Does it have a widget? I want to integrate it in my workflow on my phone

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, the chrome one will convert.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh? I tried on Vanadium and Brave (no way I'm using Chrome) and all I have is the option to "web app" it.

Can you share the steps you used?

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I couldn't figure out a way in Brave, it won't let you set a custom URL for the default browser. Firefox allowed it to just change the customer browser link in the format of

Couldn't find an APK to test vanadium, I assume it may be exclusive to GrapheneOS? (I just called it test for this, so name it something you'll recognize in a few months)

Once the Default browser is changed in Firefox/chrome, their widgets pull that information from the app, so it just searches that way.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Oh, sweet. Thanks so much. It worked in Vanadium.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

No widget. You can make it into a web app though.

[–] ad_on_is@lemm.ee 1 points 3 weeks ago

I have it running on my server, and honestly... I almost love it more than kagi. Still evaluating both, to make a decision by the end of the year.