Mullvad Leta a privacy focus search engine (leta.mullvad.net)
from cm0002@lemmy.world to privacy@lemmy.ca on 28 May 2025 17:35
https://lemmy.world/post/30394271

#privacy

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Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world on 28 May 2025 17:41 next collapse

Interesting offering. I have been using Ecosia and it’s been working great.

LWD@lemm.ee on 28 May 2025 17:55 collapse

FWIW Ecosia

  • Is not particularly privacy oriented
  • Donates $0.00 unless you click ads
spankmonkey@lemmy.world on 28 May 2025 18:12 next collapse

Hmmm

<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/ab711f45-0384-4a4a-9e6f-3fa8e1e7829a.jpeg">

<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/3b31d9ad-975a-426c-a424-97a7e4c5b944.jpeg">

It did work the second time, but that gave me a chuckle as the very first attempt.

Showroom7561@lemmy.ca on 28 May 2025 18:50 collapse

What does this even mean?

What is the point of Leta?

Leta aims to present a reliable and trustworthy way of searching privately on the internet.

However, Leta is useless as a service if you use the perfect non-logging VPN, a privacy focussed DNS service, a web browser that resists fingerprinting, and correlation attacks from global actors. Leta is also useless if your browser blocks all cookies, tracking pixels and other tracking technologies.

For most people Leta can be useful, as the above conditions cannot ever truly be met by systems that are available today.

??? It’s “useless” if you use other privacy-focused tools in your browser or internet connection?

NullHawk@lemmy.ca on 28 May 2025 21:18 next collapse

??? It’s “useless” if you use other privacy-focused tools in your browser or internet connection?

The phrasing is weird. I guess the more privacy-focused tools you have, the more features in Leta becomes redundant.

For most people Leta can be useful, as the above conditions cannot ever truly be met by systems that are available today.

But I guess this line implies using Leta will guarantee completeness? I guess this implies it is difficult to completely block all possible tracking technologies on our own with the tools and systems we have available to us.

LWD@lemm.ee on 28 May 2025 21:21 next collapse

I like redundancies. Using Google over a VPN is less effective than using Google through a proxy that also services thousands of other people for Google specifically, for example

Showroom7561@lemmy.ca on 28 May 2025 21:23 collapse

I guess the more privacy-focused tools you have, the more features in Leta becomes redundant.

But Leta is only supposed to be a proxy search. Being on a VPN or secure DNS should have absolutely no bearing on how it works.

I can see them saying those things if they were Google trying to steal data and show you targeted ads, but it’s really strange to be coming from Mullvad’s own search proxy tool.

NullHawk@lemmy.ca on 28 May 2025 21:38 collapse

I think they phrased it poorly by saying using other privacy tool makes leta “useless”. Because you’re correct, using a VPN or other privacy tool doesn’t change how it works. Just that the privacy benefit VPNs provide is also offered by Leta, hence making this specific benefit redundant.

Also, there is nothing wrong with redundancy, it can be a legitimate strategy too.

klao@sh.itjust.works on 28 May 2025 22:05 collapse

The phrasing is weird but I guess it’s to imply to target to be effective for keeping your privacy if you use tools that does the opposite of what it says, which generally speaking would be the person who uses any VPN or no VPN at all and Google Chrome browser, otherwise it’s just like any other privacy web search engines