Brave Search: First privacy-preserving alternative to Google Search is coming

Brave Search will be integrated into the Brave browser, but it will be available as a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for use in other browsers too. Users interested in testing Brave Search can sign up for the waitlist and the company will notify them about early access.

Brave has acquired Tailcat, an open search engine developed by Cliqz, to offer the first transparent, privacy-preserving alternative to Google Search and Google Chrome amidst the increasing demand for more private and secure alternatives to Big Tech.

The upcoming Brave Search engine will be based on Tailcat and it will join the family of privacy-preserving Brave products. According to the company, the search engine is being developed with the same principles as Brave browser that has over 25 million monthly active users and provides the stringent protections users demand.

Built on top of a completely independent index, it is capable of delivering the quality people expect, but without compromising their privacy. Most importantly, Tailcat does not collect IP addresses or use personally identifiable information to improve search results.

We're building a search engine that respects your privacy. Be among the first to try the new Brave Search. Sign up here: https://t.co/yS1NopcVy9 pic.twitter.com/byiRBXrFpd

— Brave Software (@brave) March 3, 2021

"With Brave Search, users can choose a default search engine that works seamlessly with the Brave browser to provide a complete privacy-respecting experience. Brave will also explore blockchain-based options and new developments, including for e-commerce uses," Brave wrote in a post announcing the acquisition of Tailcat.

Brave Search will be integrated into the Brave browser, but it will be available as a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for use in other browsers too. Users interested in testing Brave Search can sign up for the waitlist and the company will notify them about early access.

Commenting on this development, Dr Josep M. Pujol, head of the Tailcat project, said, "The only way to counter Big Tech with its bad habit of collecting personal data is to develop a robust, independent, and privacy-preserving search engine that delivers the quality users have come to expect. People should not be forced to choose between privacy and quality."

"The team is excited to be working on the only real private search/browser alternative to Big Tech available on the market," he further added.