Since DuckDuckGo has decided to regionalize all my search results even when no region is selected (why?!? 😩),
Making my work impossible (I don't spend my day writing about Canada DuckDuckGo! 🙄),
I have started to use @Mojeek and I must say that it is a real joy. I find what I'm looking for much quicker, no patronizing regionalization based on IP, and no AI pollution. It feels like I found back the 2010s web and I'm here for it.
Thank you Mojeek 💚
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek Tried it and it's fab! Could do with a search box widget to go on my home screen. But as a search box comes up the instant you tap the icon, maybe I can train myself to do that.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek Whaaaaatttt??? Are you trying to claim that your IP doesn't define exactly who you are and what you want?
Jokes aside I know the feel all too blasted well. I use a VPN from another country and everything just assumes my language based on my IP address even though the browser literally tells the site what language I use!!! So I get to navigate sites in a language I don't understand trying to find the option to switch to one I do, lol.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek I just turned it off when I noticed it.
In settings: Region -> Set to "All Regions".
Does that not work for you, or ?
@Em0nM4stodon finding a good search engine in 2026 is truly like the ancient texts foretold…
@Em0nM4stodon LOL @ no AI pollution, except for the big red box that clearly states that they use AI.
@cliffwade @Mojeek I never saw this box show my side. Not sure if anything blocked it. I see a Wikipedia box instead. Which I'm quite happy with.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek DuckDuckgo has become as useless and annoying as Google or Edge. Thanks for the tip on Mojeek.
@Mojeek @Em0nM4stodon Thanks for the heads up on Mojeek. Nice to see results without AD labels....
@Em0nM4stodon Does @Mojeek support !bangs?
(Not that I use them so much, but I used them at least twice today)
@Mojeek @Em0nM4stodon
Everyone raves about DDG, I've never gotten along with it though.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek ~ Roughly the same experience with DuckDuckGo and someone suggested Ecosia and I have been happy the past year.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek - DDG and Google both based in the US. In this day and age, that should be enough of a reason not to use them - while DDG's 'privacy' only going as far as the government allows it. Will look at Mojeek, but currently using EU-based (where privacy and security laws are so much tighter) Startpage. Really, any EU-based product is an improvement.
@Em0nM4stodon Nice!
I've testes Kagi a little bit, which was also a nice pleasant surprise. But requires a sign-up and subscription when you start using it for real.
Will check out @Mojeek as well as @MetaGer ... I really feel the need something else than DDG (noai works but still meh).
I think would really prefer a reasonably priced subscription from a non-profit org hosting a good search engine with full, verifiable transparency.
These days I can't help distrusting all these free search engines with poor transparency - am I a product when I use them?
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek I like the HTML only variant of DDG
I've used Mojeek but their results were too limited for me. I've been a fan of DDG but am increasingly frustrated by their regionalization of results (why impose this on users?!?).
I still value DDG but it's time to give Mojeek another chance. Thanks for pointing this out.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek But they do have an LLM-powered "summary" button ? 😭 And I thought I'd found a haven!
@Em0nM4stodon Have to agree. Just started using @Mojeek myself. Just search, like in the old days.
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek I think Bing is doing that based on the IP of the DuckDuckGo server relaying the results
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek definitely intrigued! My main concern is just that I don’t recall hearing of them before
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek
Ooh i suspected that. Even if I search in English, duckduckgo keeps returning France results. 🤦♀️
@Em0nM4stodon oh dear god that's a refreshing view
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek Didn't know about Mojeek! Thanks for sharing!
@Em0nM4stodon this is exactly what I was looking for yesterday. Thank you for sharing! 
@Em0nM4stodon @Mojeek Use Mojeek along with searx. All excellent and uncensored.
