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Ex-Google ad boss builds tracker-free search engine Ex-Google ad boss builds tracker-free search engine
(4 months later)
An advert- and tracker-free search engine launches in the UK, France and Germany on Thursday.An advert- and tracker-free search engine launches in the UK, France and Germany on Thursday.
Neeva has 600,000 users in the US, where it launched last year.Neeva has 600,000 users in the US, where it launched last year.
Creator Sridhar Ramaswamy, who worked at Google for 16 years and ran its ad business, told BBC News the technology sector had become "exploitative" of people's data, something he no longer wanted to be a part of.Creator Sridhar Ramaswamy, who worked at Google for 16 years and ran its ad business, told BBC News the technology sector had become "exploitative" of people's data, something he no longer wanted to be a part of.
Trackers share information about online activity, largely to target adverts.Trackers share information about online activity, largely to target adverts.
Neeva has raised $77.5m (£68m) from investors.Neeva has raised $77.5m (£68m) from investors.
It offers free-to-use search, with other features such as password-manager access and virtual-private-network (VPN) service to be made available on a subscription basis.It offers free-to-use search, with other features such as password-manager access and virtual-private-network (VPN) service to be made available on a subscription basis.
Users are asked to create an account, to build subscriptions at a later date.Users are asked to create an account, to build subscriptions at a later date.
And the UK price was likely to be about £5 per month, Mr Ramaswamy said.And the UK price was likely to be about £5 per month, Mr Ramaswamy said.
"We felt the traditional search engines had become about advertising and advertisers - and not really about serving users," he said."We felt the traditional search engines had become about advertising and advertisers - and not really about serving users," he said.
"Google has a dominant position in the marketplace - and the incentive for them to truly innovate, to truly create disruptive experiences, is not really there."Google has a dominant position in the marketplace - and the incentive for them to truly innovate, to truly create disruptive experiences, is not really there.
"And then also as a company they feel obligated to show more and more revenue and profit to their shareholders, so they just keep increasing the number of ads.""And then also as a company they feel obligated to show more and more revenue and profit to their shareholders, so they just keep increasing the number of ads."
Trying out NeevaTrying out Neeva
Search the word "migraine" on both Google and Neeva, and the first page of the results are fairly similar - links to news articles and factual information.Search the word "migraine" on both Google and Neeva, and the first page of the results are fairly similar - links to news articles and factual information.
Neeva creator Sridhar RamaswamyNeeva creator Sridhar Ramaswamy
But with a brand, the difference becomes more stark.But with a brand, the difference becomes more stark.
When I try "BMW", both search engines lead with links to the carmaker's website and Wikipedia entry.When I try "BMW", both search engines lead with links to the carmaker's website and Wikipedia entry.
But while Google follows with a map, social-media feeds and links to used-car dealers, Neeva sticks with different BMW official pages.But while Google follows with a map, social-media feeds and links to used-car dealers, Neeva sticks with different BMW official pages.
Google certainly has more variety - but it is also blatantly pushing me towards buying a car.Google certainly has more variety - but it is also blatantly pushing me towards buying a car.
Neeva's Chrome browser extension lists the trackers installed on web pages visited.Neeva's Chrome browser extension lists the trackers installed on web pages visited.
I tried a few:I tried a few:
the Daily Mail had 351 trackers.the Daily Mail had 351 trackers.
the BBC four, two of which were internal toolsthe BBC four, two of which were internal tools
Tesco fiveTesco five
Sainsbury's 10Sainsbury's 10
parenting forum Mumsnet 27parenting forum Mumsnet 27
the front page of Reddit threethe front page of Reddit three
Amazon three - all its ownAmazon three - all its own
And almost all - but not the BBC - had at least one belonging to Google, meaning Google is receiving anonymised information about users visiting those pages.And almost all - but not the BBC - had at least one belonging to Google, meaning Google is receiving anonymised information about users visiting those pages.
While I had the extension activated, no ads displayed around the editorial content.While I had the extension activated, no ads displayed around the editorial content.
But ultimately, none of Neeva's other rivals has dented the dominance of Google search.But ultimately, none of Neeva's other rivals has dented the dominance of Google search.
"To Bing" or "to Duckduckgo" - another privacy-focused service - are not verbs in the way "to google" is."To Bing" or "to Duckduckgo" - another privacy-focused service - are not verbs in the way "to google" is.
And asked if Mr Ramaswamy could ever topple his former employer, Steph Liu, an analyst at Forrester specialising in privacy and search, said: "Realistically, no.And asked if Mr Ramaswamy could ever topple his former employer, Steph Liu, an analyst at Forrester specialising in privacy and search, said: "Realistically, no.
"It's a sort of David and Goliath story. Google has too many users, it has too much revenue."It's a sort of David and Goliath story. Google has too many users, it has too much revenue.
"The ultimate goal is to offer an alternative for the consumer base who are worried about their privacy, who don't want Google hoovering up their data and targeting ads based on their search history"."The ultimate goal is to offer an alternative for the consumer base who are worried about their privacy, who don't want Google hoovering up their data and targeting ads based on their search history".
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