About MetaGer
In a digital landscape dominated by data-harvesting search giants, MetaGer stands as a distinctly European alternative with privacy at its core rather than as an afterthought.
Created in 1996 by a non-profit association at the University of Hannover, MetaGer emerged from academic research into information retrieval long before "search engine" became synonymous with Google. What began as a research project soon evolved into something more significant: a vision of what search could be if driven by public interest rather than commercial gain.
What truly defines MetaGer is its unwavering commitment to user privacy and data autonomy. Unlike conventional search engines that track user behavior to build advertising profiles, MetaGer functions as a metasearch engine that queries multiple search systems while acting as a protective intermediary between users and those systems. No IP addresses are stored, no user profiles are created, and search queries aren't linked to personal identifiers – a fundamentally different approach to information access.
Beyond its technical architecture, MetaGer reflects deeply European values around digital rights. The search engine is operated by SUMA-EV, a membership-based non-profit dedicated to free knowledge access and data protection. Its open-source code and transparent governance model stand in stark contrast to the black-box algorithms of commercial alternatives. In an era of increasing awareness about digital privacy, MetaGer represents not just a tool but a philosophy – that access to information need not come at the cost of personal data sovereignty.
Created in 1996 by a non-profit association at the University of Hannover, MetaGer emerged from academic research into information retrieval long before "search engine" became synonymous with Google. What began as a research project soon evolved into something more significant: a vision of what search could be if driven by public interest rather than commercial gain.
What truly defines MetaGer is its unwavering commitment to user privacy and data autonomy. Unlike conventional search engines that track user behavior to build advertising profiles, MetaGer functions as a metasearch engine that queries multiple search systems while acting as a protective intermediary between users and those systems. No IP addresses are stored, no user profiles are created, and search queries aren't linked to personal identifiers – a fundamentally different approach to information access.
Beyond its technical architecture, MetaGer reflects deeply European values around digital rights. The search engine is operated by SUMA-EV, a membership-based non-profit dedicated to free knowledge access and data protection. Its open-source code and transparent governance model stand in stark contrast to the black-box algorithms of commercial alternatives. In an era of increasing awareness about digital privacy, MetaGer represents not just a tool but a philosophy – that access to information need not come at the cost of personal data sovereignty.
Ownership & Tax Information
| Company Headquarters | 🇩🇪 Germany |
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