[tor-talk] Don't use Google as default search in Tor Browser?

[Joe Btfsplk]

On 11/5/2011 12:47 PM, Christian Siefkes wrote:
> "Avoid Google" is not among that warnings, as far as I can see. 
You are correct - not from Tor Project anyway.  They also don't say 
avoid robbing banks; don't stare at the sun, etc.  About all I can 
advise is, read Google's (lack of) privacy policy.  If you like it, use 
them.  If you'd rather not have your search terms recorded & also used 
for targeted advertising, then use another search engine that doesn't 
use those practices.  Your choice.  Aurora in it's default state doesn't 
prevent pop up advertising, in my experience.

> As far I know, they offer to redirect your search to a different site 
> if they detect that Google shows you a captcha.
Correct.  If you like Google's privacy policy & general business 
practices, use them.
> ...but I don't see a reason why they should make it difficult for 
> people to google if they want to do so. Best regards Christian
You can use Google search if you want.  The captchas are presented by 
Google.  See this Tor FAQ 
<https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq#GoogleCaptcha>  Tor provides a way 
around not having to enter the captcha (sometimes several times, if 
difficult to read), by offering a redirect.  In latest TBB 2.2.34, I 
don't know where alternate search engines for Google captchas are 
located in the bundle files.  I haven't yet been presented a Google 
captcha while using 2.2.34 - so don't know which default alternate 
search engine will be presented.  If you want to use Google when a 
captcha appears, don't click "redirect" & just enter the captcha.

FYI for others interested in changing the default alternate search 
engine on a google captcha redirect, in about:config, type 'redir' in 
search box.
The string:  extensions.torbutton.google_redir_url   will have a value 
like 5 (which is default for DuckDuckGo in mine).  Below this string are 
the other search engines w/ the numeric "url" values shown for each.  
You can change the value from 5 (or what ever it shows) to a numeric 
value corresponding to other search engines.

Mine shows the value '1' for Ixquick, etc.:  
extensions.torbutton.redir_url.1       
https://www.ixquick.com/do/metasearch.pl?query=