A plain-language glossary of private search terms

Search privacy is full of jargon, and the jargon is often used to make ordinary data collection sound harmless. This glossary defines the terms that actually matter when you choose how to search the web, written in plain language with no marketing spin. Bare is a minimalist search engine built on a single idea: a search engine does not need to know who you are to show you good links. It keeps no account, stores no search history, and adds no behavioral tracking of its own. The definitions below explain what each concept means, why it affects your privacy, and how a stripped-down engine handles it differently from the mainstream alternatives. Use it as a reference while comparing search engines, reading our research, or deciding what to set as your default.