Proposal to change default search engine

[Benjamin Kerensa]

Ubuntu does not have a default search engine although the browsers it ships
do. If your interested in getting the default search engine changed in one
of the browsers available in Ubuntu that kind of a push would have to occur
upstream.



On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 10:55 AM, Alexander Hanff <a.hanff at think-privacy.com
> wrote:

> Hi list,****
>
> ** **
>
> Introduction****
>
> ---------------****
>
> In light of the recent scandal regarding the NSA’s surveillance programme
> PRISM and the fact that all US Corporations or Non-US Corporations with
> facilities within the US are vulnerable to Foreign Intelligence
> Surveillance Court (FISC) orders under the Foreign Intelligence
> Surveillance Act, USA PATRIOT Act and also under  Communications Assistance
> for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) and other orders (such as National Security
> Letters) – I would like to begin a discussion on changing the default
> search engine in Ubuntu’s web browsers from Google to a more privacy
> enhancing service.****
>
> ** **
>
> Disclosure****
>
> ------------****
>
> My name is Alexander Hanff, I am a privacy advocate who has for the past
> 5+ years been campaigning for human rights across the globe.  I worked in
> the technology sector for over 17 years before returning to university to
> study the impact of technology on society as a sociologist.  Prior to
> completing my degree, I spearheaded a campaign against a company called
> Phorm who were seeking to intercept all communications at the ISP level by
> installing Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology across most of the UK’s
> public communications networks.****
>
> ** **
>
> After launching NoDPI.org and successfully chasing Phorm out of the UK and
> EU, I took up a position at Privacy International, where I headed up their
> Digital Privacy portfolio for 3 years.****
>
> ** **
>
> I have given speeches at conferences all over the world, including Brazil,
> Beijing, Washington DC and most European countries as well as having been
> involved at the regional (EU Commission) and national level on
> consultations regarding several laws, including Regulation of Investigatory
> Powers Act 2000 (in the UK) and Europe’s ePrivacy Directive.****
>
> ** **
>
> In January last year, I left Privacy International and became an
> independent campaigner and consultant.****
>
> ** **
>
> I am currently not an employee at Startpage or Ixquick and I am posting
> this email as an advocate of civil liberties and fundamental rights.****
>
> ** **
>
> Proposal****
>
> -----------****
>
> ** **
>
> I would like to see Ubuntu change the default search provider to
> Startpage.com****
>
> ** **
>
> My reason for this is that Startpage.com return search results from
> Google, but they do so in a privacy enhancing manner – that being they do
> not send any information about the person making the query to Google.
> Furthermore, they provide the option of accessing returned results via
> their proxy, which protects their users from passing on personal
> information when they click on a result.  They also provide cookieless
> preferences, they don’t log any information at all and they encrypt all
> connections by default via HTTPS.****
>
> ** **
>
> Now I won’t lie to you all, I am a big fan of the company – I know them
> very well and have provided a lot of advice to them over the past 5 years
> in order for them to improve their services.  But that doesn’t form the
> basis of my motive for this email.  I have been a Linux user since 1997 and
> I am a big supporter of FOSS software and the FOSS community – first and
> foremost, I want to help protect people’s privacy.****
>
> ** **
>
> Startpage is based in the Netherlands and are a Dutch company, which means
> they are not vulnerable to US surveillance laws.  Furthermore, they are
> certified by Europrise, the leading privacy auditing body in the EU, funded
> by the European Commission.  I know the team personally and have visited
> their office on a number of occasions, they have always taken my advice to
> heart and implemented every change I have suggested to them.  I have
> absolutely every confidence that they are a privacy enhancing technology
> and a benefit to the world & I would stake my reputation on that in a
> heartbeat.****
>
> ** **
>
> Can we please begin the discussion on making this change for the benefit
> of all Ubuntu users and show the world that FOSS embraces and enhances
> fundamental rights?****
>
> ** **
>
> Regards,****
>
> ** **
>
> Alexander Hanff****
>
> Privacy Consultant****
>
> --
> Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list
> Ubuntu-devel-discuss at lists.ubuntu.com
> Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss
>
>


-- 
*Benjamin Kerensa*
*http://benjaminkerensa.com*
*"I am what I am because of who we all are" - Ubuntu*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-discuss/attachments/20130624/5243bf54/attachment.html>