So as you may know, i am a guy mostly focused on privacy. Basically, insead of google i use SearXNG. (Privacy focused search engine) However, when i went to change the default search engine in safari, there was no option to add a custom search engine.
This really pissed me off. So how come Apple allows changing default browsers in the EU, but not search engines?
I’m not saying it’s the right way, but I thought this had been possible for quite some time by using a safari extension like https://apps.apple.com/us/app/customize-search-engine/id6445840140
If you’re looking for a free way to do it. The “Hyperweb” extension lets you.
But this is an imperfect solution as it just redirects, and your search still gets sent to your safari default + it takes longer to load.
you could try Safari/Webkit based Orion, which also happens to be more privacy focused as well. https://kagi.com/orion/
IDK use Firefox mobile I guess?
Yeah, Firefox on iOS lets you add custom search engines
Why not just use firefox?
Safari is just way better integrated in the System and its not like Firefox on iOS is the real firefox. Its webkit with a Firefox skin.
True.
Damn, was not aware of this
FF iOS still offers Mozilla sync and partial ad blocking but no extensions are available.
What system integration do you want? I personally wish Apple didn’t restrict the usage of certificates to safari but that’s about it. But I only use iOS on my work phone. My personal phone is an Android.
Kagi offers a safari plugin which intercepts a search request and sends it to Kagi instead. Works great.
They didn’t want to use Kagi though.
It also means someone could make a generalized search redirect safari extension without needing to wait for Apple
Edit: just checked looks like something like it exists
Well they could. It’s part of the value proposition.
Sure, but why not just say that instead?
When Apple figures out a way to maximize its profit by extorting those search engines.
@[email protected] It is not ideal, but you can use privacy redirect, an extension to change the search engine
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I use Arc Browser on iOS you can click search for me and it will peruse the top links to your search query and use an LLM to extract the information you want so you can avoid the cancer that is modern websites plagued with ads and burying the leed.
What did Apple tell you when you asked? Did you think anyone here knows the answer?
Yeah this is unacceptable
You are privacy focused and use apple? I think I have found your problem.
I’d have thought Google is more invasive than Apple? I say this as an Android user…
It is
Android can be degoogled, e.g. GrapheneOS. If you’re focused on privacy then that’s the way to go.
Although Google is worse than Apple when it comes to privacy, Apple is still pretty bad.
How is Apple pretty bad?
And you can’t de-apple an iPhone, like you can de-google an Android.
Some people have to use their stuff for a variety of reasons, don’t be a dick about it.
In an Apple community too, no less.
User name almost checks out
So what are the alternatives? Android and even more spying? Degoogled Android and having to log into the website for your bank every time you want to send someone money?
Apple’s the devil, but when your alternatives are “Devil Plus” and “Lose access to half the stuff you even need your phone for”, I’ll stick with the Devil.
What type of problem though? I don’t see anything wrong with using an apple product while maintaining my privacy.
Apple isn’t any good for privacy. Just as Google, it’s a single big company that gets full control over your device. There are many examples of them exploiting it, by hashing your launched apps on Mac to check for malware, for example. Their systems are also known for being a lot more locked down than the rest, meaning getting rid of telemetry is not an easy task. Big companies are not interested in your privacy, they are interested in profit. And the profit they can get by building your profile is a lot more valuable for them than you as a user. That being said, the guy is right, but he is out of line.
@TwilightKiddy @prousername bro really said hashing is a privacy violation??
I mean, they where hashing any lauched programs and sending the hashes unencryped to their servers to compare against their database. So, they literally knew every program you launched, when you did it, but also your ISP knew it and anyone smart enough to MITM your connection. Sounds like a privacy violation to me.
@TwilightKiddy I can see how you can get there, but the MITM would need to know the hashing algo, you can’t *really* just un-hash something, at least not reliably
But your original statement was that the hashing was the privacy violation, and that’s the part I took issue with, hashing is a generally accepted security measure, it is not inherently a privacy violation
I meant a pretty well-known case, not hashing in general. Thought that was obvious.
Well idk if this counts, but when i started caring abt my privacy i filled my icloud storage with garbage so that it does not back up any pictures. (also i dont have a mac)
It’s not really about something specific. There are just a lot of examples of Apple doing weird shit with your data and only stopping when they got caught. Most people conserned with privacy just don’t trust Apple in general.
There is nothing more privacy focused than iCloud private relay.
