Search engine

Startpage

Search intermediary designed to provide results without building a personal user profile.

Service publisher : Startpage

Open the official service

What the documentation explains

The help describes an intermediary using providers including Google and Bing, and explains that delivered results can differ from direct searches. Privacy and documentary independence are different criteria.

Startpage · Differences in results
Documentation consultation :
Readable reference

This consultation covers public documentation, not a service trial with an account. Features, modes and access conditions evolve; check those displayed when you conduct your research.

A focused research exercise

Compare a query with the same region and language settings, then record shared pages. Evaluate the opened document separately from the interface’s stated privacy protections.

The decisive check

Distinguish the private intermediary from the coverage of the index supplying results.

Observe and distinguish the results

  1. Write the exact query and record language, region, filters, date and settings affecting results.
  2. Separate organic links, ads, maps and summaries. Open the final URL and identify its author, date and supporting data.
  3. Compare another discovery route, then return to the primary document. Absence from one query does not necessarily mean absence from the index.

What to retain

  • Exact query or prompt; date, time and time zone.
  • Service, mode, model or bot if indicated; language, region and settings.
  • Final source URL; title, author, date and relevant passage.
  • Claim checked; supporting evidence, contradiction or lack of evidence.
  • Accessible scope and files; conditions needed to repeat the observation.

Method questions

Are two agreeing services two pieces of evidence?

Not when they trace back to the same document or reuse the same data. Count independent issuers and evidence, and retain the provenance chain.

Does a citation validate a fact?

The inspected passage must support the precise claim with the correct object, date and scope. A related page or topic mention is insufficient.

How can platforms be compared fairly?

Use the same question, recorded settings and several dated observations. Assess discovery, accuracy, provenance and usefulness separately; one example cannot rank a service.