privatesearch.com myprivatesearch.com privatesearch
The websites myprivatesearch.com and the concept of private search engines can be confusing due to the contrasting information provided.
MyPrivateSearch.com
myprivatesearch.com is not a legitimate private search engine. Instead, it is a browser hijacker that masquerades as a legitimate search engine. Here are some key points about it:
- It is promoted through deceptive methods, such as bundling with other software, and modifies browser settings without user consent12.
- It continually records users' internet browsing activity, including IP addresses, geo-location, and search queries, which can lead to serious privacy issues and potential identity theft1.
- It installs helper objects that prevent users from changing their browser settings back to their original state1.
To remove myprivatesearch.com, users need to uninstall suspicious applications, remove malicious add-ons, and reset browser settings1.
Legitimate Private Search Engines
In contrast, legitimate private search engines are designed to protect user privacy and do not track or store personal data. Here are a few examples:
- Surfshark Search: This search engine does not collect personal data, provides organic search results, and is part of a broader cybersecurity suite4.
- Searx: An open-source metasearch engine that aggregates results from various search engines without storing or tracking user data4.
- MetaGer: A non-profit, open-source metasearch engine powered by renewable energy, which does not track users and is transparent about its ranking criteria4.
- Mojeek: A UK-based search engine that does not track search history or store personal data, using its own crawler to index web pages4.
- Disconnect Search: Created by ex-Google employees, this search engine uses an extension to protect searches across mainstream search engines by blocking trackers and encrypting search queries4.
These legitimate private search engines aim to provide an unbiased and private search experience, unlike myprivatesearch.com, which is a malicious browser hijacker.