Startpage Search

Antivirus, forensics, intrusion detection, cryptography, etc.
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labbe5
Posts: 2159
Joined: Wed 13 Nov 2013, 14:26
Location: Canada

Startpage Search

#1 Post by labbe5 »

https://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/27/use-t ... onymously/

A click on the the proxy link opens the selected website with the help of that proxy. The Startpage proxy works like proxy servers and not like search engine caches.

This means that it will retrieve the webpage you have selected for you and display it to you afterwards. This means that only Startpage's IP will be listed in the log file of the server and that cookies won't be stored on your computer either.

Startpage Web Search is better than DuckDuckGo privacy-wise, because of this proxy feature.
Last edited by labbe5 on Sat 16 Nov 2019, 19:25, edited 2 times in total.

labbe5
Posts: 2159
Joined: Wed 13 Nov 2013, 14:26
Location: Canada

Anonymous View

#2 Post by labbe5 »

Clicking on a search result, even at a private search engine, can expose users to all kinds of trackers at the visited website.

Using the Anonymous View option helps protect against this threat because Startpage.com goes to the website, retrieves the page, and displays it to the user. The website sees Startpage.com as the visitor, while the Startpage.com user remains invisible. This allows users to visit websites while protecting their privacy.

A free Anonymous View link is delivered to the right of every search result at Startpage.com.
Source : https://www.startpage.com/blog/?p=5223

See what a link from Anonymous View looks like :
Source : https://browse.startpage.com/do/proxy?e ... 4541443174
Can you identify which page i visited? Of course, not.

labbe5
Posts: 2159
Joined: Wed 13 Nov 2013, 14:26
Location: Canada

Startpage Search owner changes raise serious questions

#3 Post by labbe5 »

https://www.ghacks.net/2019/11/16/start ... questions/

Startpage revealed in the press release that Privacy One Group Ltd is owned by System1; that fact and the lack of information surrounding Privacy One Group Ltd caused uncertainty and confusion.
A search for System1 returns more information. The company operates out of London and it becomes clear quickly that it is an advertising company.


Privacytools.io delisted Startpage after trying to get answers; this means that the service no longer recommends Startpage. PrivacyTools notes in the announcement that it has no evidence of Startpage violating its privacy policies and that the decision was based on a number of unanswered questions and Startpage's evasive behavior in regards to these questions.

Further reading :
Startpage launches News tab to help users escape filter bubbles
Startpage expands its service and the inclusion of news is certainly a step in the right direction, especially since the service promises that users won't be put in a filter bubble and the added ability to open news in anonymous mode.
https://www.ghacks.net/2019/11/21/start ... r-bubbles/

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