Startpage offers anonymous, filter-busting net searching'

Stuart Corner
Friday, 28 May 2010 17:41

Your IT - Home IT

 

Dutch company, Ixquick, has introduced an Australian version of its Startpage search portal that enables users to search simultaneously and anonymously across a number of well-known search engines, but not including Google.

Startpage (http://www.startpage.com/au/) is the English-language version of Ixquick, claimed to be the only search engine in the world that is third party certified not to record users' IP addresses or make a record of their searches.

"The serious problems of Internet censorship and personal data collection in Australia are issues of worldwide concern. We are reaching out to help with the launch of Startpage AU", said Ixquick CEO Robert Beens.

"We want to extend a warm welcome to the people of Australia, and invite them to use the Startpage search engine as a tool to protect their privacy and anonymity".

Ixquick claims that Startpage Australia results are drawn from local, Australia-specific websites and portals and worldwide results. The Startpage web site gives users the option to search across AltaVista, Ask/Teoma, EntireWeb, Ansearch, Bigroo, Lycos, Anzwers, Bin and Yahoo

According to Ixquick "Startpage's privacy practices have been awarded the highest possible rating by EuroPriSe, the European certifying authority, and are widely considered the best in the business."

Ixquick promises "Startpage never records your IP address, never uses tracking cookies, offers secure SSL encryption, and provides a proxy service that lets people anonymously visit the sites they find through Startpage Australia."