OneSearch

OneSearch is a free privacy-focused search engine from Verizon Media.

7.2/10

How we calculate ratings →

Handling

Does the policy allow personally-targeted or behavioral marketing? No

10/10

Does the service allow you to permanently delete your personal data? Yes, using an automated mechanism

5/5

Even if there is a reasonable delay before the data is fully deleted (as is common), the data still counts as "permanently deleted" and satisfies the parameters for this question.

Score

Yes, by contacting someone

60%

Yes, using an automated mechanism

100%

N/A

The service doesn't collect any personal information.

100%

Citation

You have the right to request deletion of the personal information we have collected about you. We will need to verify your identity before we can fulfill your request to delete. The verification process may vary depending on the nature of the request. However, as described in the main OneSearch Privacy Notice, the Service is designed to delete or Obfuscate personal information it receives within 4 days of collection, without the need for you to request this.

We will retain certain personal information in accordance with our records retention program and securely delete it at the end of the retention period, in order to detect security incidents, perform fraud monitoring, or comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act or another legal obligation.

Does the service allow third-party access to private personal data? Yes, not all parties specified (but only to critical service providers)

7/10

This may come in the form of outright data sharing or by using local third-party analytics software (such as Google Analytics, which collects a plethora of user information).

Note that whether the policy allows sharing aggregated user data does not affect this question.

If the personal data is encrypted when it passes through the third-party, it does not count as third-party access (as the data is inaccessible to that party).

If personal data has been made public by, for example, posting it to a blog, it does not count as private personal information (and is therefore not considered by this question).

Score

Yes

The policy allows sharing personal data with third parties (not just critical service providers), and does not explicitly list the third parties.

Yes, all parties specified (including non-critical service providers such as advertisers)

30%

Yes, not all parties specified (but only to critical service providers)

70%

Yes, all parties specified (only to critical service providers)

80%

100%

Citation

General information: Except as necessary to provide the Search engine, we never share Personal Data we receive from you unless: (a) we have your separate and explicit permission to share that information or (b) we have given you prior notice that the information will be shared, and with whom (such as in this Privacy Notice).

As further detailed under Section 3.7, full IP Addresses are stored for 4 days by the Search Provider solely for Network Traffic Protection.

Legal Obligations and Terms of Service Enforcement. We reserve the right to access, preserve and disclose any Personal Data to investigate, prevent, or take action in connection with legal process and legal requests, and for enforcement of the Terms of Service.

When does the policy allow law enforcement access to personal data? When reasonably requested

3/5

Score

Always

This includes cases in which law enforcement either runs the service or has a known backdoor into (or relationship with) the service.

Not specified

When reasonably requested

60%

Only when required by a court order or subpoena

80%

N/A (no personal data to share)

The service would have no personal data to share with law enforcement.

100%

Never (special legal jurisdiction)

The service operates in a jurisdiction in which sharing data with law enforcement is never required.

100%

Citation

Transparency

Does the policy outline the service's general security practices? Somewhat

1/3

Score

Somewhat

The policy provides only a very vague overview of its security practices.

30%

Yes

60%

Yes, including audits

"Reviews," "monitoring," etc. also count as audits.

80%

Yes, including independent audits

Independent "reviews," "monitoring," etc. also count as independent audits.

100%

N/A

The service doesn't collect any personal information.

100%

Citation

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security in relation to your Personal Data that is appropriate to any risk associated with it.

Your Personal Data is processed and stored in servers that are located in the USA or another country where we have engaged Search Providers or from which we operate the Service.

Is the policy's history made available? No

0/5

Does the policy require users to be notified in case of a data breach? Not necessarily

0/7

Will affected users be notified when the policy is meaningfully changed? N/A

5/5

Collection

Does the service collect personal data from third parties? Yes, but for critical data only

7/10

Is it clear why the service collects the personal data that it does? Yes

10/10

Score

Somewhat

30%

Mostly

70%

Yes

100%

N/A

The service doesn't collect any personal information.

100%

Citation

Below we will describe the Personal Data collection and processing that takes place when you use this Service. Please note you may need to refer to section 2 ("Definitions") for more detailed information.

When you input a Search Query your IP Address, the Search Query and UA will be securely transferred, using HTTPS Encryption, from your browser to our Search Stack.

We process your IP Address, UA and Search Query together to fulfill your search. We derive Location Data from your IP Address so that we can provide useful location specific search results (e.g. if you search "flower shops" then flower shops in your city area should be provided in the results).

The way in which we use this data to fulfill your Search Query is that your IP Address, Search Query, UA and Location Data will be transferred by us to our Search Provider, so that the actual search request can be made through their search engine. The Search Provider will then provide our service with results for your Search Query.

After the Search Provider has provided us with search results we may also undertake a Search Optimization process, including input by Search Partners. We then provide search results to your browser so that you can see them.

A very short time (i.e. within seconds) after your Search Query has been completed we then store your IP Address, Search Query and UA in different servers in such a way that they are not able to be connected (i.e. we are not able to tell what IP Address any Search Query has come from and so from this point the only Personal Data which we hold about you is your IP Address).

When you make a search we also process your IP Address for the purpose of Network Traffic Protection. We continue to store and process your IP Address for this purpose for four days. After which we permanently delete your IP Address.

The Search Provider continues to store your IP Address, Search Query and UA for the purpose of Network Traffic Protection. After four days the Search Provider Obfuscates the IP Address.

Does the service allow the user to control whether personal data is collected or used for non-critical purposes? N/A (no data used for non-critical purposes)

10/10

Does the policy list the personal data it collects? Yes, generally

7/10

Score

The policy does not claim to not collect personal data, but it also doesn't provide any meaningful insight into the types of personal data it collects.

Only summarily

The policy uses overly vague language to provide a summary of the types of collected personal data.

30%

Yes, generally

All general categories of collected personal data are listed, though not all types of personal data are explicitly mentioned (for example, the list might use a phrase like 'such as' when listing types of personal data).

70%

Yes, exhaustively

All types of collected personal data are listed specifically

100%

N/A (no personal data is collected)

100%

Citation

When you input a Search Query your IP Address, the Search Query and UA will be securely transferred, using HTTPS Encryption, from your browser to our Search Stack.

The Search Provider continues to store your IP Address, Search Query and UA for the purpose of Network Traffic Protection. After four days the Search Provider Obfuscates the IP Address.

Last Updated

May 26, 2021

Sources

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Contributors

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