Web users looking for greater privacy in their web browsing have a new search engine to choose from, Startpage. Operating as an Internet middleman, the engine keeps no records of searchers and filters queries through its own scrambler, so-to-speak, before passing the information to the anonymous user. The media frenzy surrounding China’s state surveillance of google searches and hosted websites is sure to peak consumer interest in engines that ensure privacy. The only downside, however, is searches take longer.
[linebreak]
How web users respond will no doubt depend on how they weigh their privacy concerns and their need for speed. As Internet popularity is based on convenience and efficiency, I sadly predict that only the conspiracist’s out there will make the switch to Startpage. Like the old policing adage, only people with something to hide need to fear, I suspect that despite warnings to the contrary privacy intrusion is an expected trade-off for a world of hyper linking and convenience.
People said…