Why I dont use Google much any more

[blackangst1]

So, over the last year or so, more and more stories crop up about Google censorship or take downs. In my opinion the internet should be free and uncensored. Not because I like to search for questionable content (well, might be questionable to some lol) but its the idea of it. Of course a totally unfiltered internet has unsavory content. But I dont have to go there, right? But what could be classed as "OK" by Google today, could be considered for possible take down or censorship tomorrow.

There are many, many reports about Google's censorship and take downs. Here are just a few:

U.S. authorities are leading the charge as governments around the world pepper Google with more demands to remove online content and turn over information about people using its Internet search engine, YouTube video site and other services.

It’s taken a while, but Google has finally caved in to pressure from the entertainment industries including the MPAA and RIAA. The search engine now actively censors terms including BitTorrent, torrent, utorrent, RapidShare and Megaupload from its instant and autocomplete services. The reactions from affected companies and services are not mild, with BitTorrent Inc., RapidShare and Vodo all speaking out against this act of commercial censorship.

Google says US government takedown requests have doubled in last six months

Then there's the issue of tracking. Google has really stepped up on their big brother activities!

Here is one example...

In fact, no other site tracks you more than Google does.


There are many many more examples. Google is OK for quick searches on generic subjects, but I often prefer a more rounded search return base.

So. If not Google, then what to use as a search engine? Unquestionably duckduckgo. The search page is customizable, and they dont filter results. They also dont plant tracking cookies into your browser. I suggest you start using it. The website is www.duckduckgo.com.

 

[slsmnaz]

so in less than a month you have decided it is unquestionably the best?

 

[rsutoratosu]

i have nothing to hide and dont do anything illegal, i could care less what google do with my search results data..

so what if they know i like to search for dildos all day long

 

[Red Storm]

duckduckgo has failed me several times and I had to go to Google to find what I was looking for. I will continue to use Google.

If you don't want Big Brother tracking you don't use the internet.

 

[lxskllr]

If you don't want Big Brother tracking you don't use the internet.

Or cellphones, or roads, or credit cards...

That's a bullshit stance. Infringement on freedom should never be tolerated. There's nothing magical about networking that makes surveillance acceptable. Free choices should always be used over non-free choices, and in this case DuckDuckGo is a great free choice. The search results are better, and it has some nice added features Google doesn't have.

 

[Red Storm]

Or cellphones, or roads, or credit cards...

That's a bullshit stance. Infringement on freedom should never be tolerated. There's nothing magical about networking that makes surveillance acceptable. Free choices should always be used over non-free choices, and in this case DuckDuckGo is a great free choice. The search results are better, and it has some nice added features Google doesn't have.

I wasn't saying I agree with it or am happy with it, unfortunately that's just how it is. You can't avoid it anymore, unless you live out in the middle of no where with no electronics.

Duckduckgo did not prove to be a better search engine to me, so I went back to Google.

 

[Xecuter]

I tried using duckduckgo, but I was so used to Google I switched back

 

[andylawcc]

insert condescending wonka....

 

[blackangst1]

so in less than a month you have decided it is unquestionably the best?

Not just me. Many in the security circles also use duckduckgo for the same reasons. If you search security related sites (Wilders, for example) you'll see.

Google has its uses. I still use it occasionally.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I only use google when I'm searching for porn, homemade explosives, my muslim brethren, and how to overthrow the government and candied bacon. You can't have a Jihad without the candied bacon.

 

[TuxDave]

Heh, about a month ago I switched all my search engines to duckduckgo to give it a try. I would say only a handful of stuff I had to go back to Google. Duckduckgo is slightly better organized to the way I like it (they dump the Wikipedia result into a special box at the top) but sometimes I'm searching for a specific news article and that's when Google comes in handy.

Other than that, Duckduckgo has earned itself another month as my primary search engine as I continue testing.

 

[Glitchny]

Meh I use google for everything, or whichever search the chrome bar uses, the horror!

 

[tommo123]

i can search for utorrent just fine in google?

 

[SP33Demon]

Grow a pair, Mr. Tinfoil Hat. duckduckgo is fcking lame and can't even get what I'm looking for, 45% of the time.

 

[darkewaffle]

Goddamnit now Google probably knows that I visit Anandtech and shop at places like Amazon and Newegg. Next thing I know they'll steal my identity!

Imagining freedom is being infringed is an extremely arrogant way to describe market research. No corporation or company on earth gives two shits about "you" (s), they care about "us" (pl). Tallying what sites people visit is no different than a guy sitting in the middle of the mall counting how many people walk into Gamestop and Victoria's Secret.

 

[Glitchny]

i can search for utorrent just fine in google?

I think the only things that changed are the instant search and auto complete. You can still search for torrents regularly though.

 

[ShawnD1]

I only use google when I'm searching for porn, homemade explosives, my muslim brethren, and how to overthrow the government and candied bacon. You can't have a Jihad without the candied bacon.

This gives me an idea. As soon as I get home, I'm going to do a google image search of "jihad porn" and see what it finds.

 

[lxskllr]

Goddamnit now Google probably knows that I visit Anandtech and shop at places like Amazon and Newegg. Next thing I know they'll steal my identity!

Imagining freedom is being infringed is an extremely arrogant way to describe market research. No corporation or company on earth gives two shits about "you" (s), they care about "us" (pl). Tallying what sites people visit is no different than a guy sitting in the middle of the mall counting how many people walk into Gamestop and Victoria's Secret.

Google puts everything into a neat, easily searchable database. Many people and organizations can care about you specifically. If the government asks for the information, Google will happily turn it over to them. They don't need a warrant, court order, or anything else they'd require to get the information from you. The ability to be anonymous is essential to be free. Once your data is out there, you aren't getting it back, so whether or not it matters at 3:39pmEST 25-06-2012 isn't relevant. It may matter tomorrow, next week, or next year, but if you fucked up at 3:39pmEST 25-06-2012, the game's over.

 

[rudder]

I tried to use Bing for a while... it was okay.. but always get results closer to what I need with google.... even when I am searching for microsoft crap.

 

[shortylickens]

The internet isnt "free".
A shitload of corporations have invested about a trillion dollars into making it happen. Its basically private but it just so happens everyone is using it anyway. But it aint free, in the monetary or patriotic sense.

 

[BladeVenom]

So, over the last year or so, more and more stories crop up about Google censorship or take downs. In my opinion the internet should be free and uncensored.

Thank the RIAA/MPAA for those take downs. It's American law. Any US based search engine is going to have to do the same thing.

duckduckgo is subject to the same laws that affect Google. If you want a search engine that isn't censored by the MAFIAA (RIAA/MPAA), you'd better find one that is located outside our country.

 

[clamum]

Heh, about a month ago I switched all my search engines to duckduckgo to give it a try. I would say only a handful of stuff I had to go back to Google. Duckduckgo is slightly better organized to the way I like it (they dump the Wikipedia result into a special box at the top) but sometimes I'm searching for a specific news article and that's when Google comes in handy.

Other than that, Duckduckgo has earned itself another month as my primary search engine as I continue testing.

I'm pretty much with ya, except I switched to DDG only about a couple weeks ago. It takes a bit of getting used to after using Google for so many years, but it's pretty good. I still use Google occasionally, and for maps and images. I suppose I could use Bing for maps though.

 

[SagaLore]

Ok.

So who do you use for your nameservers? Because that can be tracked.

Who do you use for your ISP? All of your packets can be monitored/logged.

duckduckgo.com
Administrative Contact: WhoisGuard WhoisGuard Protected (69be6da3dee4445790db53ef58f15da3.protect@whoisguard.com) +1.6613102107 Fax: +1.6613102107 11400 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90064 US

Name Servers: NS0.DNSMADEEASY.COM NS1.DNSMADEEASY.COM NS2.DNSMADEEASY.COM NS3.DNSMADEEASY.COM NS4.DNSMADEEASY.COM

The domain appears to use 184.72.115.86 and 184.72.106.52:

ec2-184-72-115-86.compute-1.amazonaws.com
ec2-184-72-106-52.compute-1.amazonaws.com

So that site is subject to the AWS agreement, which does not preclude search and seizure. Since the site is still very small and with limited IP addresses, it makes it much easier to track the use of and potentially intercepted.


If you're that worried about Google tracking you, then just modify Firefox's config not to send referrer information, disable cookies, use TOR.

 

[Texashiker]

I think I am going to start using duckduckgo.com as my search engine.

 

[coldmeat]

This gives me an idea. As soon as I get home, I'm going to do a google image search of "jihad porn" and see what it finds.

first google search result: charlie sheen foursome
first google image result: holocaust