MetaGer
A metasearch engine focused on protecting users privacy |
Owners: SUMA-EV, University of Hannover
Constitutes: search engine
MetaGer is a metasearch engine, focused on protecting users privacy. It is a project of the University of Hannover/Germany and it's source code was released on Gitlab in 2016.[1] By September 2024 it can not be used for free anymore.[2]
Technical details
Search queries are relayed to as many as 50 search engines. The results are filtered, compiled and sorted before being presented to the user. Users can select the search engines to query according to their individual choices among other options (such as "check for availability and sort by date").
Privacy options
Privacy protection is implemented by several features: MetaGer provides access to their services only through encrypted connections. As of December 2013, there is also a TOR Hidden Service (b7cxf4dkdsko6ah2.onion/tor/) that allows users to access the MetaGer search functionality from within the TOR network. Since February 2014 MetaGer additionally offers the option to open the result webpages anonymously ("open anonymously").
Lack of subject-specific blocking
As of February 2021, a page from ISGP was the #2 hit on MetaGer (after advertising) for the search term "dutroux affair", Wikispooks on #10. The search term "mexico assembly attack" puts Wikispooks on #1 (see pictures right).