Verizon Media has launched its very own privacy-focused search engine called OneSearch. It’s set to compete with other famous engines like Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo etc. Since it focuses on privacy for the user by not allowing trackers, storing the data of users or sharing search data with advertisers, which makes it a direct competitor to DuckDuckGo, known as one of the first search engines to focus primarily on the privacy aspect of online browsing.
Users can access the search engine at OneSearch.com and it’s available for both desktop and mobile platforms. The main aspect of Verizon Media’s OneSearch is the ability for businesses to integrate their existing privacy and security products with it.
Verizon Media Official Statement
“OneSearch doesn’t track, store, or share personal or search data with advertisers, giving users greater control of their personal information in a search context. Businesses with an interest in security can partner with Verizon Media to integrate OneSearch into their privacy and security products, giving their customers another measure of control.”
Other than giving the business an edge on their search engine, OneSearch also offers advanced privacy mode. Once it’s enabled, Every search results generated in OneSearch will expire within an hour. OneSearch designed the advanced privacy mode for cases where more than one person is going to use the same system or when a link from a search result is shared with someone.
List of Privacy Features OneSearch is offering:
- No cookie tracking, retargeting, or personal profiling
- No sharing of personal data with advertisers
- No storing of user search history
- Unbiased, unfiltered search results
- Encrypted search terms
Although the search engine won’t be selling any data to advertisers, it does rely on advertising, so the service can remain free to use. Instead of using cookies and the history of the users to target ads, their ads are based on what the users are currently searching for.
Michael Albers, The head of consumer product at Verizon Media said in an announcement:
“In support of our commitment to trust and transparency, we are excited to launch OneSearch, an innovative new online search experience built for privacy-minded searchers.”
At the moment OneSearch is only available in North America but Verizon Media promises to make it available in other countries really soon. They have also been working on developing mobile apps for both platforms, Android and IOS which should be available for users to download by the end of this month.
