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European Parliament turns its back on Google, chooses new search engine
🇬🇷 Greece /Elections & Politics

European Parliament turns its back on Google, chooses new search engine

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The European Parliament will replace Google with the French search engine Qwant as its default search provider.
  • This move aims to enhance the bloc's technological sovereignty and reduce reliance on US tech giants.
  • Qwant, which focuses on privacy, will be the default on parliamentary computers starting this week, though users can still choose other search engines.

The European Parliament is set to switch its default search engine from Google to Qwant, a privacy-focused European alternative, this week. This decision marks a significant step in the EU's ongoing efforts to bolster its technological sovereignty and decrease its dependence on major American tech companies.

When a search is performed from the address bar in the top of the browser in Firefox and Edge browsers, search results will be provided by Qwant, a European search engine that focuses on privacy and is designed to avoid tracking users or collecting personal data

— Email to lawmakersAn email sent to European Parliament lawmakers explaining the switch to Qwant.

While Microsoft's Office suite is a common topic in discussions about the EU institutions' technological independence, Google holds a dominant position in the global search engine market, capturing around 90% of the European market share. The Parliament's move aims to shift away from this reliance, particularly as the European Commission is expected to unveil a package of legal proposals designed to strengthen the bloc's technological self-sufficiency and reduce its dependence on US tech giants.

Starting Thursday, searches initiated from the address bar in Firefox and Edge browsers within the Parliament will be powered by Qwant. The French search engine is designed to protect user privacy by avoiding user tracking and the collection of personal data. This change aligns with the Parliament's existing commitment to "digital sovereignty and the protection of users' personal data," according to an email sent to lawmakers.

The change aims to align with the Parliament's existing commitment to “digital sovereignty and the protection of users’ personal data,”

— Email to lawmakersAn email sent to European Parliament lawmakers explaining the switch to Qwant.

Although Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will retain the option to switch their default search engine to alternatives like Google, the default setting will now favor a European competitor. Qwant's selection is noteworthy as, while it historically relied on Microsoft's Bing for search results, it has been developing its own search index, Staan, in collaboration with another European search tool, Ecosia. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Parliament's decision.

With enough political will, we will have freed this institution from the risk of dependence on foreign technologies by the end of the term

— MEPsMEPs expressed their desire to reduce reliance on foreign technology in a previous statement.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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