Several online websites track personal information about users using cookies and other data collection techniques. Some platforms even go far in their tracking strategies to create user profiles based entirely on users’ private information (e.g location, search terms, browsing history…etc). Media critics view this as the price we pay for ‘free’ online services. However, there are certain hacks you can use to protect your personal information while browsing the net. Most browsers now provide private browsing modes which allow you to search the net anonymously. These modes can be activated from the setting page of your browser. Another, less effective way, is to use popular search engines such as Google without you being signed in but this is not always practical because you might be using other apps that require a sign-in such as Gmail. To overcome this, you can use search engines geared towards enforcing a fairly acceptable level of privacy by not tracking your data and recording your browsing history. Below are three examples of some of the best search engines you can use on your iPad to browse the net privately.
1- DuckDuckGo Search & Stories
This is a great search engine that protects your privacy and doesn’t collect or share your personal information. DuckDuckGo allows you to run quick searches and get results from a wide variety of other sources. Its auto-suggest functionality enables you to search directly on several websites. Additionally, this search engine features stories from different hand-crafted sources and in a reading-friendly format.
2- Ixquick Search
Ixquick Search is another good search engine that allows you to search the net privately and anonymously. Using SSL encryption, all of your searches are encrypted making it difficult for hackers or intruders to see what you have been searching for. Additionally, Ixquick Search does not use tracking cookies and does not record IP addresses, location or search terms either.
3- StartPage Search
This is another great app from the developers of Ixquick Search. It allows you to browse the net privately. It provides all the privacy features you would find on Ixquick Search. For an extra layer of privacy, use Proxy. “ It works by copying the web page you want to visit onto our server, so you see it through us, not them. Because you never make contact with the third-party website, they can't infect you with cookies or malware, and they can't see your IP address or other information. They only see us, while you stay safe and invisible behind the scenes.”
