this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2024
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Kagi search engine working with Russia (fedia.io)
submitted 3 weeks ago by troed@fedia.io to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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Swedish author and famous pro-Ukraine blogger Lars Wilderäng (Cornucopia) reports today that the Swedish security expert Karl Emil Nikka has revealed that Kagi is using the Kremlin propaganda tool Yandex as a backend for searches.

Wilderäng speculates this might mean search terms are leaking to Russia, while others worry about how Kremlin thus can get their talking points into western search results.

Security expert Karl Emil Nikka tells us that the search engine Kagi, popular among tech geeks, uses Russian Yandex, which was introduced after the full-scale invasion. This, of course, gives Russia the opportunity to look at what is searched for via Kagi.

Link (in Swedish), see 11:22 update: https://cornucopia.se/2024/10/uppdateras-ryssland-medger-bruk-av-c-stridsmedel-mot-ukraina-rysk-pilot-som-mordade-68-ukrainare-ihjalslagen-med-hammare-bland-de-allra-storsta-ryska-forlusterna-under-kriget-igar/

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[–] narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee 109 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I expected something more shocking when I read "working with Russia".

Kagi uses multiple search backends, and of course it needs to forward search terms to these backends. These backends probably can't trace the searches back to the individual Kagi user though, but Yandex could still analyze search trends for example.

What's worse is that - unless they use Yandex' API for free - customers indirectly (and likely unknowingly) support a Russian company with their paid Kagi subscription.

Kagi should at the very least release a statement about this claim.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I am surpised yandex aint sanctioned tbh

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Same, but it's great for finding things US companies want taken down

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 12 points 3 weeks ago

As much as i hate russia and their bullshit, you aint wrong.

A shrewd internet enjoyer could be using it as a cross reference to check their beloved megacorps offering🐸

[–] scorp@lemmy.ml 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

probably because us government employees use its reverse image search for how good it is

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 6 points 3 weeks ago

Google nuked that feature... Hmmm

[–] montar@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

Aside from reverse image search Yandex is wonderful for obscure things like software reverse engineering.

[–] CHOPSTEEQ@lemmy.ml 44 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It’s not a fucking reveal, Kagi tells you exactly what engines they include in their results.

[–] Darthou@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago

Do they? I remember seeing this in the past but can't find the information anymore. Now they only say "all major search providers" and that was part of the criticism in this "reveal". That they have become more opaque rather than being transparent about it.

This is all the official info I could find. Please share if anyone can find anything more. https://help.kagi.com/kagi/search-details/search-sources.html

[–] JustMarkov@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

You know what? DuckDuckGo uses Yahoo results, they must be working with the US government! What a nonesense.

[–] Hexadecimalkink@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yandex is a really good search engine 🤷‍♂️

[–] troed@fedia.io 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Many of Yandex’s employees resigned in protest, accusing the company of serving as a tool of Kremlin propaganda and actively concealing information about the war.

https://www.zois-berlin.de/en/publications/zois-spotlight/the-sad-fate-of-yandex-from-independent-tech-startup-to-kremlin-propaganda-tool

[–] TonoManza@lemmygrad.ml 18 points 3 weeks ago

Every search engine ever is biased in the results it will show you.

You have to learn the biases and not fall prey to them.

If you think you're using an unbiased source then all you've done is failed to recognize them.

[–] Hexadecimalkink@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 weeks ago

Go search palestine or ukraine on google news and tell me if you see unbiased news 😉

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

they are also worki g with the us 🙄

[–] 4vr@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 weeks ago

Similar controversy when Kagi added Brave search.

[–] Deckweiss@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

oof

And I was just thinking about getting a subscription.

Time to selfhost SearXNG instead.

[–] HaleHirsute@infosec.pub 0 points 3 weeks ago

Hmmm keeping an eye on this thank you.