# Lifestyles & Discussion > Privacy & Data Security >  Use this version of google instead of regular google so your searches are encrypted

## Reason

*https://ssl.scroogle.org/*



Scroogle is a web service that disguises the Internet address of users who want to run Google searches anonymously.[4] Scroogle also gives users the option of having all communication between their computer and the search page be SSL[5] encrypted.
 The tool was created by Google critic Daniel Brandt,[2][3] who was concerned about Google collecting information on users, and set up Scroogle to filter searches through his servers before going to Google. "I don't save the search terms and I delete all my logs every week. So even if the feds come around and ask me questions I don't know the answer because I don't have the logs any more," he said "I don't associate the search terms with the user's address at all, so I can't even match those up."[6]
 Traffic has doubled every year and as of December 2007, Scroogle had passed 100,000 visitors a day.[7]
 Besides anonymous searches, the tool allows users to perform Google searches without receiving Google advertisements. There is support for 28 languages,[8]browser plug-in. and the tool is available as a

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## Kotin

sweeet thx

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## dr. hfn

bump!

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## morran

Bookmarked. Thanks!

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## Carson

Here is where you can get the add-on for Firefox to add Scroogle to your search engine drop down list.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/12506

I ran the, "add to Firefox" and the only change I see is that I now have Scroogle added list of search engines in the search box.


P.S. I've never really been creeped out by Google using that information. 

I have a lot of respect for the two founder guys and Google still seems to be a good friend even though they have gone public. They seem to know what I looking for despite the way I enter my search terms at times. They are still a class act in my book.

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## DamianTV

Youre not gonna be creeped out by google using the information until it comes back to bite you in the ass.  If someone charges you with a crime, regardless if you actually committed the crime or not, they are probably gonna take your computer and try to use any sort of info you have or have shared against you.

Keep in mind your rights.  "You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and will be used against you."  Now if they have anything that can be used FOR you, that information is usually excluded until your trial.

Remember, you dont have to be a criminal to be treated like one.  We dont live in the "innocent until proven guilty" days any more.

The firefox info is great, and so is the SSL post.  SCROOGLE is a good site.

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## sevin

> *https://ssl.scroogle.org/*


Thank you!




> Here is where you can get the add-on for Firefox to add Scroogle to your search engine drop down list.
> 
> https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/12506


Thank you!

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## ShowMeLiberty

> P.S. I've never really been creeped out by Google using that information. 
> 
> I have a lot of respect for the two founder guys and Google still seems to be a good friend even though they have gone public. They seem to know what I looking for despite the way I enter my search terms at times. They are still a class act in my book.


Google has been creeping me out for years and they keep getting creepier.

*Obama & Google (a love story)*

*Google's 3Q lobbying costs eclipse $1 million*

The only thing related to Google that I use is YouTube and that's only because I can't find a good alternative for that.

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## Reason

*bump*

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## cradle2graveconservative

Edit

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## Endgame

Have a look at TOR instead.  http://www.torproject.org/

Keep in mind that although TOR will hide your activities from your ISP and hide your IP from whoever you're connecting to, there is a 100% chance that intelligence agencies are running TOR exit nodes. They'll be able to see the contents of any non-encrypted traffic that goes through TOR, if not where its being accessed from.

For data and even full system encryption its best to use Truecrypt.

http://www.truecrypt.org/

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## Yieu

> Even if Google doesn't have your search ... your ISP will.


Not if it's SSL.

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## Kludge

> Even if Google doesn't have your search for "backdoor midget mayhem--goat edition" (seriously, wtf is wrong with you?) your ISP will.


This is why Google alternatives pimping their security has always confused me.

Wtf are you lot searching for? What's the government (or Google) going to do because they've discovered I searched for "Gieng Me Mam Tom" last week?

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## ronpaulhawaii

Here is a liberty search alternative launched today by PAR3VOLUTION!

http://www.libertyrevolution.com

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## KCIndy

> This is why Google alternatives pimping their security has always confused me.
> 
> Wtf are you lot searching for? What's the government (or Google) going to do because they've discovered I searched for "Gieng Me Mam Tom" last week?



That's right!!


If you have nothing to hide, why object to random searches and inspections?  

If you're not discussing illegal activities, why object to warrantless  wiretapping?

If you're not doing anything shady on the web, why not have government document ALL your searches?

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## Kludge

> That's right!!
> 
> 
> If you have nothing to hide, why object to random searches and inspections?  
> 
> If you're not discussing illegal activities, why object to warrantless  wiretapping?
> 
> If you're not doing anything shady on the web, why not have government document ALL your searches?


The government is not saying I am not allowed to encrypt the data I send.  This is the difference between concealing a bag of weed or carrying it out in the open. If what I were carrying illegal, I would hide it and object if I were searched. If weed were legal, I could carry it out in the open. Why would I hide weed from the gov't if it were legal? There is no reason to hide search results unless you're doing something "shady". You're comparing apples and oranges.

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## Danke

> What's the government (or Google) going to do because they've discovered I searched for "Gieng Me Mam Tom" last week?


Are there a lot of stray dogs in your neighborhood?

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## Kludge

> Are there a lot of stray dogs in your neighborhood?


More deer than dogs, and deer tastes much better.

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## Dieseler

Anybody run across them super secret instant suicide pills I was asking about last week?

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## Danke

> Anybody run across them super secret instant suicide pills I was asking about last week?


"Pills"  Oh, $#@!, I thought you said bombs,  I'll search again.

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## KCIndy

> The government is not saying I am not allowed to encrypt the data I send.  This is the difference between concealing a bag of weed or carrying it out in the open. If what I were carrying illegal, I would hide it and object if I were searched. If weed were legal, I could carry it out in the open. Why would I hide weed from the gov't if it were legal? There is no reason to hide search results unless you're doing something "shady". You're comparing apples and oranges.



Unless I'm misunderstanding you - and if I am, my apologies in advance - it sounds like you're of the same opinion as those people during the Bush administration who proudly proclaimed, "I'm not doing anything wrong, so I don't care if the government is listening to my phone calls!"

If you were being facetious, I'm sorry it went over my head.

If you were being serious, let me know.  I'll ask Santa to bring you this T-shirt for Christmas:

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## Dieseler

> "Pills"  Oh, $#@!, I thought you said bombs,  I'll search again.


/chuckle

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## Kludge

> "I'm not doing anything wrong, so I don't care if the government is listening to my phone calls!"


I don't care if the government listens, personally. I haven't had this discussion in a while. I forgot I don't believe in a right to privacy: that's why I said what I did. I didn't even think to look at it from your point of view. I object to the government claiming it can do as it'd like with my property, but I don't own the nation's infrastructure. They don't need my permission to track me, so long as they respect my property. If you believe in a right to privacy, then I see your point on why you'd want to, on principle, use an encrypted search engine.

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## DamianTV

> Even if Google doesn't have your search ... your ISP will.
> 
> /reply
> Not if it's SSL.


+1776

Lets see if anyone can guess what I searched for here...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...aqi=g-s1g5g-s1

...And here is the same searched phrase, "dog $#@!" after being AES 256 bit encrypted.

315030474c794d4a444a384861533545582f434561513d3d

Now, what if your search query in your URL read like this?

&q=315030474c794d4a444a384861533545582f434561513d3  d  (I'd like to see someone figure out what key I used to encrypt this)

Regardless if your ISP was able to record that, would they be able to crack every single random key that gets generated?

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## Dieseler

> +1776
> 
> Lets see if anyone can guess what I searched for here...
> 
> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...aqi=g-s1g5g-s1
> 
> ...And here is the same searched phrase, "dog $#@!" after being AES 256 bit encrypted.
> 
> 315030474c794d4a444a384861533545582f434561513d3d
> ...


Does it really matter?
If you got a result back then someone out there has the ability to look over what you searched for from that IP address.
Busted either way.
You can't hide, don't even try.
Google is eternal.
Oh, and instant to.

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## Yieu

It might help to read their explanation of their SSL search: https://ssl.scroogle.org/sslnote.html

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## KCIndy

> I don't care if the government listens, personally. I haven't had this discussion in a while. I forgot I don't believe in a right to privacy: that's why I said what I did. I didn't even think to look at it from your point of view. I object to the government claiming it can do as it'd like with my property, but I don't own the nation's infrastructure. They don't need my permission to track me, so long as they respect my property. If you believe in a right to privacy, then I see your point on why you'd want to, on principle, use an encrypted search engine.



Ah... I see where you're coming from now, even though I (respectfully) disagree.

The funny thing is, on a purely practical level, I could even find myself - almost - agreeing with you.  I don't really mind who sees/hears/watches me, generally speaking.  

Case in point - those airport "backscatter" scanners that *gasp* digitally "strip search" a person walking through.  I got into a disagreement about this technology recently with those who are terribly offended by these machines.  I argued that if the TSA was going to be forced on us no matter what, I would rather see the backscatter machines left in place as an option for people like me.  I don't care who sees me naked, it's their lunch to lose!  Hell, I'll sign autographed screen captures of the scan for a buck.

To me, being groped and manhandled by some minimum wage TSA knuckle dragger is infinitely more repulsive than simply parading through a machine that makes me *appear* to be nude.

But...

When it comes to government involvement, I can't help but get a little leery.  The G.W. Bush administration essentially began a prosecutorial practice of "guilty until proven innocent" and God help ya if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Sadly, the Obama administration seems to be carrying on with tradition, no matter what appearances they may like to give.  And said government (or at least its overzealous prosecutors) often either get the wrong idea, or worse, deliberately infer the wrong idea and then use something innocuous to go after innocent people.

I really wish I was wrong about that.  If I were, I really wouldn't care who was watching me either.

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## LibForestPaul

> This is why Google alternatives pimping their security has always confused me.
> 
> Wtf are you lot searching for? What's the government (or Google) going to do because they've discovered I searched for "Gieng Me Mam Tom" last week?


I don't know. WTF is the government making secret lists using secret algorithms to deny people from traveling by plane.

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