Privacy Policy

Overview

LibreSearch is a private search engine operated by Arcbase. We designed it so that the most private option is the default - and the only option. We do not run ads, we do not build advertising profiles, and we do not sell data. This page explains the small amount of data that is involved in running the service and the large amount we deliberately never touch.

What we collect

To keep the service running and protect it from abuse, our servers process the minimum necessary technical data, and only transiently:

• Transient request data

  When you search, your query passes through our server so it can be forwarded anonymously. It is used only to return your results and is not written to a persistent search log tied to you.

• Abuse protection

  We apply rate limiting to prevent automated abuse. This may briefly reference an IP address in memory, but it is not stored to build a history of your activity.

• Aggregate health metrics

  We may count anonymous, aggregate totals (such as total requests per day) to keep the service healthy. These contain no queries and no identifiers.

What we don't do

This is the part that matters most. LibreSearch never:

• Logs your searches against your identity
• Stores a search history on our servers
• Builds an advertising or interest profile
• Sells, rents, or shares your data
• Uses tracking cookies or fingerprinting
• Shows ads or sponsored results

How search works

When you type a query, it travels from your browser to our server, which forwards the request to an independent search index on your behalf. The index never sees who you are - your IP address, cookies, and browser fingerprint stay hidden behind our server. Results come back to us, we hand them to you, and the connection is done. Nothing about that exchange is stored against you.

Local storage on your device

Your preferences - settings, theme, and optional search history for autocomplete - are stored entirely in your own browser using local storage. They never leave your device and are never synced to our servers. You can wipe all of it at any time by clearing your browser data or using the controls in Settings.

Third parties

To return results we rely on an upstream search index, which receives your query through our anonymizing proxy but not your identity. We do not embed third-party advertising, analytics, or social tracking scripts on LibreSearch. We have no business model that depends on sharing your data, so we don't.

Your rights

Because we don't build a profile or store searches against your identity, there is no personal dossier for us to hand over, correct, or delete - there simply isn't one. Any preferences we do hold live on your device and are fully under your control. If you have a specific request or question about your data, reach out and we'll help.

Changes to this policy

If we update this policy, we'll revise the "last updated" date at the top of the page. Material changes will be highlighted so you're never caught off guard. Continuing to use LibreSearch after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact

Questions about privacy at LibreSearch? Email us at info@libresearch.ca or learn more on the About page.