5 ways to keep your online searches private
Everyone wants to keep their online searches private, but many people don’t know how.
You might think you’re protecting yourself and any embarrassing or private queries using incognito mode, but that only goes so far. Tap or click here to see what incognito mode is suitable for and what it can’t do.
You can take steps to keep your searches buttoned up, from wiping what you look for to going fully private with a VPN. Let’s jump in.
1. Private browsing mode
Despite its name, don’t get too excited. While private browsing mode will give you some privacy, it doesn’t keep everything secure.
In Google Chrome, this is called Incognito Mode. When you’re in the private browsing mode of any browser, including Firefox and Safari, it won’t save history, cookies or form data.
That’s nice because what you look for is wiped off your system locally when you close your browser. That keeps your auto-fill suggestions clean and means you can shop for a gift without giving away the secret. Have you ever had that moment where a loved one gets on your computer and gets spoiled just based on the ads that pop up?
But your internet service provider, the websites you visit, and even Google still have access to everything you do in these so-called private modes.
2. Go with an alternative
If you really want privacy, look to a search service other than Google, Bing or the other mainstream options.
StartPage calls itself “the world’s most private search engine.” The Netherlands-based company pays Google for the use of its search algorithm but strips out the tracking and advertising that usually comes along with it. You get a Google-like experience and the promise that your data will never be stored, tracked or sold.
Test it out at startpage.com. You can also set StartPage as your browser’s default search engine.
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