Security

Are Your Internet Searches Really Anonymous?

By Kim Boatman

Surfing the Internet, it’s easy to think that you are acting under the cloak of anonymity. Who’s to know if your search engine query includes the name of an ex-girlfriend, questions about a medical condition or even your own social security number? But the queries we type on search engines such as Google and Yahoo! aren’t as private as many of us think.

Search engines typically retain data search terms, and it is sometimes possible to match those terms to your computer’s unique Internet address -- and even to your name.

Last year, a team of AOL researchers released 20 million search records from more than 600,000 users. The thinking was that the data might be useful for academic researchers. But while AOL user numbers were replaced with randomized numbers, reporters from The New York Times and other publications were able to trace the search histories to specific people. The identity of a 62-year-old Georgia woman -- who typed queries about a myriad of health troubles, single men and her dog’s problem behavior -- was revealed.

AOL later said the release was unauthorized and removed the data from its site, but the incident should serve as a cautionary tale for consumers, says Peter Eckersley of the non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which works to protect the public interest when it comes to technology. “People should be able to have an expectation of privacy,’’ says Eckersley. “We think the rules of the game should be changed so that either this tracking doesn’t happen by default or at least people have a simple way of opting out from being tracked.’’

Know Your Search Engine's Policies
Privacy experts suggest that you need to understand what might happen to information about your search terms before you start searching. Many companies will disclose their policies on their web sites. Here is a rundown on some of the more popular search services and their policies:

• Google collects information about users' Internet searches in order to improve service, such as evaluating your use of their relevant search results, a company representative says. Google also uses the information to maintain security, analyzing logging patterns to prevent malicious attacks. Google recently shortened its retention of this log data to 18 months and successfully fought a government subpoena that sought millions of search queries last year.

• Yahoo! now anonymizes search log data within 13 months, with a few exceptions for legal obligations, says a Yahoo! representative. The company will use a filter to remove personally identifiable data such as “non-popular” real names, addresses and phone numbers.

Don't Assume Your Search Is Private
It’s probably best to understand that it’s almost impossible to maintain 100 percent privacy all the time. However, you can take several steps toward making your Internet searches more anonymous, say privacy experts.

1. Think before you search
   If you know that your search engine keeps records of your searches, don't divulge secretive information in conjunction with your name. For example, many of us engage in a practice called "ego-surfing," in which we search for our name on the Internet. But people sometimes search for their full name, coupled with their Social Security numbers, says Paul Stephens of the non-profit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Although you might be trying to determine if you have become the victim of identity theft, the very act of searching for your name and social security number together can give a potential thief the keys to your kingdom if the search is ever revealed. You can accomplish the same goal without compromising your personal privacy, advises the World Privacy Forum, by using your name and just the last four digits of your Social Security number.

2. Don’t stick with one service
   Don’t sign up for a free e-mail account with the same company you use for a search engine. There is the possibility that one company could pair data about your e-mail address along with your search terms, privacy experts say. Keep your e-mail on a separate service from your searches. And don’t use the same search engine all the time.

3. Shop around for search engines
   If you don't like the privacy policy of the search engine you’re using, switch to a different service. Stephens suggests trying ixquick. “To my knowledge, they are the only search engine that has pledged to purge all user data within 48 hours,’’ he says.

4. Use tools to anonymize
   There are several sites that offer free software to keep your searches anonymous online. Tor, a non-profit software project, is one. You can download the software from Tor Project. You’ll find another free service at Anonymouse. You can download a free trial of Anonymizer’s fee-based privacy software at Anonymizer.

5. Don't accept search engine cookies
   Search engines sometimes seek to place web "cookies" on your web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. On the web, cookies are parcels of text that are used for authenticating users, tracking behavior on a web site, or maintaining specific information about users, such as the fact that you like to read entertainment news instead of sports. Most browsers will let you refuse cookies. For example, if you use Firefox, go to Tools, click on Options, and you can refuse to accept cookies among your other privacy preferences.

6. Change your physical location
   If you can search on a variety of computers (home, office, school) and vary your search engines, you make it difficult to develop a profile of your identity.

Most of all, it’s important to understand that you have to be proactive to maintain a measure of anonymity. “You should be aware that unless you’re taking strong steps, you won’t have privacy,’’ says Eckersley.