[LINK] NSA controversy boosts interest in ?private? Internet search engines

[Craig Sanders]

On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 09:33:53AM +1000, Kim Holburn wrote:
> http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/22/nsa-controversy-boosts-interest-in-private-internet-search-engines/
> 
> > Internet users are taking a fresh look at "privacy" search engines
> > that do not store data or track online activity, in light of the
> > flap over US government surveillance.
> >
> > While Google's market share has not seen a noticeable dent, privacy
> > search engines like US-based DuckDuckGo and European-based Ixquick
> > have seen jumps in traffic from users seeking to limit their online
> > tracks.

i'd be a lot happier with DuckDuckGo if they didn't require
javascript...well, it's more like insistently badgering me to enable
javascript every time I use DDG.

with js disabled, every search on DDG pops up a minimalist page with a
link to the non-javascript search page.  WTF? if they can detect non-js,
then why not just redirect without requiring that additional annoying
click. or do the sane and correct thing and just display search results
in HTML with optional javascript to "enhance" the page if the user
chooses to allow it.

it's not hard.  google can manage it.

IMO, given their stance on privacy, that is not just a clueless
mistake...so requiring js (i.e. requiring me to allow them to run
whatever javascript code they want on my browser) for searches puts a
large dent in the credibility of their "you can trust us, we don't track
you" claim.


fortunately there is a search-bar addon for firefox that goes direct
to the html (non-javascript) search, and uses the https URL to enable
encryption of the search.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/duckduckgo-html/


craig

ps: heh.  very appropriate random sig for this msg.

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>

BOFH excuse #206:

Police are examining all internet packets in the search for a narco-net-trafficker