Brave Search Beta: A Privacy-Focused Search Engine

Brave Search Launches in Global Beta, Prioritizing User Privacy

The privacy-focused browser, Brave, has officially launched Brave Search in global beta. This follows a period of testing with early adopters through a waitlist, offering an alternative to established internet search engines.

A Privacy-Safe Search Engine

Users can now access Brave’s nontracking search engine through both the desktop and mobile versions of the Brave browser. Alternatively, it’s accessible directly via search.brave.com, eliminating the need to switch browsers.

Brave Search will eventually become the default search option within the Brave browser later this year, providing a seamless privacy-focused experience.

Built on an Independent Index

The foundation of Brave Search lies in technology acquired from Cliqz, a European anti-tracking search-browser combination. The company leveraged Cliqz’s earlier work on a project called Tailcat to create its own independent search index.

Over 100,000 users participated in early access testing, providing valuable feedback during the development phase.

Expanding the Brave Ecosystem

Brave’s user base has grown to over 32 million monthly active users, a significant increase from the 25 million reported in March. This wider suite of products includes the pro-privacy browser, Brave News, and Firewall+VPN.

Furthermore, Brave offers Brave Ads, a privacy-preserving advertising solution for businesses targeting its privacy-conscious community.

The Rise of Pro-Privacy Tech

Increased public awareness regarding surveillance-based business practices is fueling demand for pro-privacy technologies. Companies initially focused on a single privacy product are now expanding into comprehensive suites.

Examples include:

• DuckDuckGo: Offering nontracking search, a tracker blocker, and an email protection service, with an estimated 70-100 million users.
• Proton: Providing end-to-end encrypted email (ProtonMail), cloud calendar, file storage, and a VPN, now serving over 50 million users.
• Apple: Leveraging privacy as a selling point for its hardware and services, with over 1 billion iOS users and 1.65 billion Apple devices.

The Challenge of Competing with Google

Despite the growing market, competing with Google Search remains a substantial challenge. Apple, even with its massive user base, doesn’t directly compete with Google in search.

However, Apple does receive significant payments from Google to preload its search engine onto iOS devices, creating a complex dynamic between its pro-privacy stance and revenue generation.

DuckDuckGo's Success and Funding

DuckDuckGo has established itself as a leader in nontracking search, achieving profitability since 2014. The company has recently secured external funding, reflecting investor confidence in the growing demand for private search.

Growing Demand for Encrypted Communication

The increasing desire for data protection is also evident in the surge of usage for end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal, particularly following changes to WhatsApp’s terms of service.

Brave’s Vision for Search

Brendan Eich, CEO and co-founder of Brave, stated: “Brave Search is the industry’s most private search engine, as well as the only independent search engine, giving users the control and confidence they seek in alternatives to Big Tech.”

He emphasized that Brave Search offers a new approach to relevant results, powered by a community-driven index and a commitment to privacy.

The Importance of an Independent Index

Josep M. Pujol, chief of search at Brave, explained the importance of an independent index. He stated the current search landscape is vulnerable to censorship and biases, and that a diverse ecosystem of search engines is crucial for a healthy web.

“Choice can only be achieved by being independent… Only by building our own index… will we be in a position to offer true choice to the users for the benefit of all.”

Current Limitations and Future Development

Currently, Brave Search relies on other search providers for specific queries, such as image searches (utilizing Bing). However, the company is actively working to expand its independent index.

Brave is also incorporating anonymized community contributions to improve search results and plans to release community-curated open ranking models to ensure transparency and prevent bias.

Transparency and the Independence Metric

Brave is introducing an “independence metric” to display the percentage of search results originating exclusively from its own index. This metric will provide users with insight into the level of independence in their search results.

Monetization Strategy

Brave plans to offer both a paid, ad-free version of search and a free, ad-supported version, while maintaining its commitment to fully anonymous search.

Users of the Brave browser will likely receive the same privacy-focused ad targeting as they currently experience.

Google’s Response in Europe

In Europe, Google has agreed to modify its pay-to-play auction model for the choice screen on Android devices, allowing users to select a default search engine from a wider range of options.

Brave previously declined to participate in Google’s paid auction but may reconsider if the new model is genuinely free and open.

Continued Growth and Expansion

Brave intends to expand its reach throughout Europe, leveraging its localized browsers and marketing its privacy-focused search engine to prospective users.