Alternative search engines

For me it started producing this sort of thing (actually this one's not too bad compared to some, although why it assumes London I have no idea. That wasn't in my search term. I think plantain lilies is a common name for what we call Hostas, not any kind of actual lily, nor a plantain.)


Edit: Apparently the AI overviews were rolled out as the default in May 2024. Maybe you've inadvertently found a way to switch it off!

 

@Michael Hewett You don’t need to install a DuckDuckGo program. You use the browser you want and choose DuckDuckGo as search engine. But Google Chrome doesn’t allowto remove its own search engine. I use Vivaldi and Firefox. I also can’t remove Google as search engine in Firefox.

 

Ah yes, @JennyJB I have seen something like that but I didn't know it was to do with AI, I just ignore them and look at the listed websites.

I had an icon on my computer so I thought I had installed it. I've got rid of the icon because I won't use it any more, since getting all those PUPs. I don't get any now.

 

As ricky101 said, it's another software that creates these PUP messages.
Or as a good friend 25 years ago said:
If I were the manufacturer of a security software, I would also show up 3 times a day and claim I have found something just to show why I'm worth paying for it.

I can't get my old fashioned browser to run in some Linux systems because they say it's an old out of date software. Our IT removed it remotely because it's a non-approved software. Just to give you examples. My old browser is completely harmless.
If there is harm than layer 8.

 

Indeed, these AI suggestions remind me on 18 years old who walk through town with a face impression: I know everything, and nothing I can't answer.

 

I'm sorry but I don't know what any of this means, it's all too complicated for me.

 

@shiney If you want to read articles for free, you need a browser that allows to disable Javascript. These "pay me" things are done with Javascript.

 

I thought javascrip was not used any more.
How do you disable it.

 

I've got Bing, it's been there for years but I've tended to ignore it ... is it a search engine ? and is it 'safe' to use ?

 

Bing is Microsoft's search engine so should be safe. I don't like it and like Edge it's a last resort.
I tend to use Google and ignore the AI overview. I tried Duck Duck Go for a while and found it less good for technical information than Google.

 

Thank you. I also ignore the AI overview, and DD Go gave me lots of PUPs so I've deleted it, and also Startpage .
What is Edge ? is that a search engine too ?

 

I use Seamonkey for sentimental reasons and this allows to disable JavaScript in the Preferences.

 

That was me.
You could read Andrew Neill and Boris Johnson in the DM, or Telegraph.