Has anyone else noticed that non Google search engines just stopped working with the tracker part of url removed?
from ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 02 Aug 15:38
https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/50289887

I normally default to SearxNG search engine but sometimes use swisscows.com.

For some reason, if I let FOSS browser remove the tracker portion of the search, it will no longer work. If I allow the tracker to be used, it works every time. I have tried multiple Searx engine instances, and they all seem to have the same issue.

#degoogle

threaded - newest

samsapti@feddit.dk on 02 Aug 15:57 next collapse

I use Brave browser, my SearXNG instance works fine. Feel free to try it out: search.sapti.me

If it doesn’t work, it might be something with your browser.

technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 02 Aug 16:44 next collapse

Swisscows.com seems to be working for me but I don’t think I’m removing “trackers”.

Can you give an example? What browser is removing the “tracker portion”? How is it doing that?

The querystring can contain trackers. But for searching it usually contains your search terms. So, if your browser is removing the querystring, then searches probably won’t work.

scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech on 02 Aug 17:03 next collapse

Yeah there is definitely no size fits all there, you can’t just remove the entire query string

swelter_spark@reddthat.com on 02 Aug 23:00 collapse

That’s what I’m wondering. I’ve used both Searx and SwissCows and I’ve never seen any tracking going on in the URL.

SpacePanda@mander.xyz on 02 Aug 17:54 next collapse

Thank you for introducing me to swisscows! Edit: does it only allow safe searching? Is there a way to turn off safe search?

ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 09 Aug 00:16 collapse

I don’t think so. It’s just build to auto filter NSFW and it is privacy focused. Note that the rumor mill tells of changes coming to Switzerland law that will make it worse that the privacy nightmare in the US. That would also impact Proton Mail and other trusted Swiss services.

SpacePanda@mander.xyz on 09 Aug 01:47 collapse

I did not know that about swiss law. Nsfw isnt deal breaker, I was just curious. Thank you very the education

hersh@literature.cafe on 03 Aug 01:51 next collapse

You should probably report that to the browser developer. Sounds like their tracker filter has a bug causing false positives.

ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 09 Aug 00:14 collapse

That’s probably reasonable.

MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 09 Aug 00:44 collapse

It sounds like maybe it’s removing the actual search query part of the URL?

Because swisscows.com has no trackers in the URLs for searching or clicking on results.