Legal information
A search engine that respects your privacy
At Qwant, we don’t know who you are. We don’t target you with ads or keep your search history. Because your age, gender, and interests belong only to you. And so with each new search request, you get a blank page to begin anew.
An open and neutral web at your service
By not tracking our users, our search engine offers you a completely unfiltered overview of the Internet and guarantees neutral results. Your search results are never locked into certainties. Thus, your previous searches don’t influence the results of your next ones.
Browse without targeted advertising!
Qwant does not place any advertising cookies in your browser. Therefore, any advertisements that appear during your browsing will be linked to your search keywords, and not to your user profile.
Your data is not a bargaining chip
Nowadays it is common to refer to data as, “black gold”. Not at Qwant. We don’t sell your data to third-party organizations, for advertising or for any other purposes.
An alternative made in France that implements European legislation
In order to respect the French and European legislative frameworks, Qwant thoroughly incorporates the RGPD. We respect all fundamental rights, including the right to be forgotten, which gives you the possibility to have your data deleted.
FAQ - Privacy policy
If you have questions about Qwant’s privacy protection, please find below a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that summarizes Qwant’s Privacy Policy, but is not intended to be a substitute for it. For complete information please refer to the full text of the Privacy Policy available at the bottom of the page.
Why is Qwant so concerned about my privacy?
Qwant knows that the searches that you make online have the potential to reveal a lot about you and your private life. (This includes, but is not limited to: your habits, your interests, your health, your religious or philosophical beliefs, your political opinions, your sexual preferences, your diet, your purchasing power, your cultural awareness, etc.) You reveal a lot of things through your online searches that you may not normally reveal to your family and friends or even on social media. Nevertheless, you should feel free to search for any information you would like to without feeling surveilled, and without giving anyone the opportunity to exploit information about your private life.
Additionally, we don’t think it’s okay to change answers based on who asks a question unless you explicitly request it. On Qwant, users who make the same search requests have access to the same results.
It is for this reason that Qwant has chosen to not collect personal data for the purpose of advertisement personalization or the creation of an advertising profile, in addition to not analyzing your search history.
So Qwant does not show targeted advertising?
Exactly. Qwant shows contextual advertising that depends exclusively on the keywords that are entered at the time the ad is displayed, not on who is doing the search. We do not use targeted advertising and do not use cookies or any other ad tracking technologies.
What data does Qwant collect when I search?
When you search on Qwant, we naturally receive your search terms, as well as the IP address of your computer or mobile device, and information about your browser (the “User Agent”). We use this data to process your inquiry and return your inquiry, as well as the corresponding answers. We pseudonymize what we need to keep for statistics and for transfer to our technology and business partners.
Qwant does not use ad tracking cookies or any other techniques to recognize you, store your search history, or track your internet browsing.
Do you use ad cookies?
No. We only use one cookie to remember your technical preferences for using Qwant, so that on the same device these preferences stay the same from one search to another. This cookie does not contain any advertising identifiers and is not accessible to third parties. Subsequently, we do not do not integrate any cookies or other tracking technologies provided by advertising agencies or other partners (see our cookie policy for more details).
Why are you transferring data to Microsoft, and what data is it?
Microsoft provides some of the search results you see on our pages, and provides ads to the keywords in your search inquiry. This means that we need to send Microsoft some information related to your search that allows our partner to return results and ads relevant to that search, and to prevent fraudulent clicks or other activities that are not permitted by our Terms of Use.
In order to detect fraud, Qwant uses a specialized service offered by Microsoft, which does not have access to the keywords of your search. Only your IP address and the browser (your “User Agent”) are communicated to this specialized service to calculate a fraud probability score. Keywords are sent separately to another service that does not know your IP address.
What can I do to further protect my privacy?
Qwant does its best to protect your privacy while you search, but you can take additional steps to protect your internet browsing. For example, you can use a service such as a virtual private network (VPN) or TOR relay service so that even Qwant does not have access to your real IP address.
We also advise you to use the Qwant app for your internet browsing or other browsers that do not keep your browsing history and do not analyze it for advertising purposes.
Privacy policy
Below is Qwant’s Privacy Policy, which is the result of many discussions and thoughts that have resulted in a constant evolution of our requirements for our users in light of the opinion of European data protection authorities on anonymization techniques, we want to explain to you in as much detail as possible the specific measures we take to protect and respect the confidentiality of your data. In accordance with our historical commitments to defend and promote all the regulatory recommendations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and because we believe that it is our responsibility to you, Qwant has chosen, through this Privacy Policy, to impose on itself a high standard of data protection, transparency and legal rigor. At Qwant, the concept of privacy is an essential notion and a reality, and for this we have adopted technical data protection measures and a level of transparency that we believe is unmatched by our competitors.
Qwant is committed to protecting your privacy, and that’s at the heart of our philosophy. What you do with Qwant is your privacy and we don’t want to know about it. We don’t keep your search history and we don’t create an advertising profile to target you. With Qwant, you are of course entitled to the rights guaranteed by the European General Data Protection Regulation of April 27, 2016, known as the “GDPR”, but most importantly, we ensure maximum respect for the principles of data minimization and “privacy by design”, i.e., we implement design methods for our services that allow us to collect and process only the data that is strictly necessary. We never try to find out who you are or what you do personally when you use our search engine.
How does Qwant protect your privacy?
When you use Qwant as a search engine, we do not set any advertising cookie on your browser, nor do we look at what you personally searched for previously. When you make a query, it is immediately pseudonymized using the methods set forth in this Privacy Policy.
We also undertake to make every effort to guarantee the security and confidentiality of our users’ personal data and in particular to prevent such data from being altered, deleted or accessed by unauthorized third parties. The URL of Qwant begins with “HTTPS”, which indicates to users that they are communicating their data securely through the TLS protocol. Technically, the TLS guarantees visitors that their data cannot be intercepted while in transit over the network in a fraudulent or accidental manner. In addition, the padlock that appears in front of the Qwant URL on most browsers certifies that you are browsing a secure site.
By default, we do not install any cookie on your browser. We use your browser’s “local storage” technology to store your browser settings (language, enabling or disabling options) on your device. If you change these technical parameters, a cookie may be installed on your browser, exclusively for the purpose of preserving these parameters. You have the possibility to delete the “local storage” data or the cookie from your browser. For more information, please see our cookie policy.
However, the provision of a search engine requires some data processing. The following section of this Privacy Policy is therefore intended to explain in detail when we need to process information about you, why we collect certain data, the methods we use to pseudonymize data, how we use it, and the identity of our partners when data is transferred to them. It also reminds you of your rights and how to exercise them with Qwant.
What data is processed by Qwant when you make search queries?
Indexing data from the Web
In order to have knowledge of the existing contents on the Web and to offer you the most relevant results, Qwant automatically indexes Web pages on which personal data of any kind is likely to be present. Qwant retains this data until two years after the last indexing by our robots, based on our legitimate interest in having an index of publicly available content on the Web (article 6.1.f of the GDPR).
You have the right to erase these data (see below, section “Right to be forgotten”).
Processing of our users’ queries
To respond to the query by displaying results and ads matching your search, as well as for security and reliability purposes of its services (detection of spam, automated activity, fraudulent clicks on ads…), Qwant processes the following data:
– The entered keywords;
– Information about the browser you use (the User Agent);
– Session preferences information (if you use Qwant set up for the results in France and with the user interface in the French language, for example);
– A salted hash of the user’s IP address with the salt that changes ever three months at the latest (i.e. the result of a mathematical formula based on this IP address, not the IP address itself);
– The approximate geographic area of origin of the search at the scale of a region or a city (as deduced from the IP address)
Qwant retains for 7 days the keyword(s) entered associated with a pseudonym identifier calculated from the User Agent of your browser and the salted hash of your IP address. After this period, the keywords are no longer associated to an identifier and are retained for 12 months for aggregate statistical analysis (e.g. to know how many times a keyword is searched over a given period of time).
This processing is necessary for the performance of Qwant’s Terms of Use, on the basis of article 6.1.b of the GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of the contract between you and us), and meets Qwant’s legitimate interest (article 6.1.f of the GDPR) to secure and make its services reliable.
In order to provide you with relevant results from around the world when we do not have the answers to your queries by ourselves, we have partnered with Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited to provide a portion of our search results and provide contextual advertising based on the keywords entered and your geographic region.
To this end, Qwant may transfer to this partner the following pseudonymous data related to your query:
– The keywords of the search;
– Information about the browser you are using (the User Agent);
– The first three bytes of your IP address;
– The approximate geographical area from which the search originated, at the level of a region or city;
– The salt hash generated from your IP address, your User Agent and a salt that changes at the latest every 3 months;
– A random token generated by Qwant (aimed at limiting data overlap).
This processing is necessary for the performance of Qwant’s General Terms of Use, based on Article 6.1.b of the GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of the contract between you and us).
In addition, for purposes of security and reliability of our partner’s services (detection of spam, automated activity, fraudulent clicks on advertisements, etc.), Qwant may also collect and transfer to this partner your full IP address.
This processing is in the legitimate interest of Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited (article 6.1.f) to secure and make its services more reliable.
This data is transferred to this partner within the European Union, and may be retained in accordance with Bing’s Privacy Policy for a maximum period of 18 months.
Measuring the effectiveness of certain contextual advertising results
In order to establish an aggregate measure of the effectiveness of the advertisements provided by our partner Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited and to strengthen its means of detecting fraudulent clicks, Qwant may also transfer to it for certain categories of advertisements the following data if you click on an advertisement from the Microsoft network and return to the same Qwant results page:
– The measurement of the time elapsed between your click on the ad and your eventual return to the results page.
This data shared with Microsoft is used exclusively for the purposes indicated above and may not be used for any other purpose. In particular, it may not be used for advertising based on a user profile on Qwant or third-party services.
This data is transmitted to this partner within the European Union, and may be retained in accordance with Bing’s Privacy Policy for a maximum period of 18 months.
This processing is necessary for the performance of Qwant’s General Terms of Use, based on Article 6.1.b of the GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of the contract between you and us).
Statistics and audience measurement
To evaluate its audience and understand the use of its services in order to improve them, Qwant also keeps other data related to your use of the services (associated for 7 days with a hash calculated from your IP address and the User Agent of your browser) including :
– The source of the user’s visit to the site (the HTTP referrer and the search field used to trigger the request);
– Information about the type of link clicked (for example the position of the clicked link in the results with the number of results proposed);
– Some information deduced from your User Agent (type of browser, operating system, major version of the browser,…)
This processing is necessary for the purposes of Qwant’s legitimate interest in developing statistics and measuring its audience, based on article 6.1.f of the GDPR.
Robot detection and cybersecurity
To prevent fraudulent use of the search engine and counterfeiting of the Qwant index, which is protected by sui generis law (database producer’s rights), Qwant may need to collect and verify certain personal data such as IP addresses and user agents. To this end, Qwant uses a technology partner to carry out these tasks in accordance with data protection regulations.
The data collected may not be reused for other purposes.
Translation module
Management of registered users accounts
Qwant does not require you to register to use the search engine. However, you may wish to register to log in and personalize services. You are free to manage your account information (modify, correct, update and delete information).
In order to manage its users’ accounts and to send our newsletter (if you have chosen to subscribe), Qwant collects the following data:
- Information about the user preferences (if you use Qwant set up for the results in France and with the user interface in the French language, for example);
- Hash of your user password;
- E-mail address of the user;
- Optional data when entered by the user (name, firstname, city, website…)
This data is retained by Qwant for the duration of the existence of your user account in order to allow its proper functioning. They are then deleted after 7 days from the account deletion request. During this period, you have the possibility to reactivate your account using your initial login and password.
This processing is necessary for the performance of Qwant’s Terms of Use, on the basis of article 6.1.b of the GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of the contract between you and us).
Management of requests for information filed on the site
In order to process our users’ requests for information entered from a contact form, Qwant may collect the following data:
– Your name and surname;
– Your contact email address;
– Any other personal data provided by the user.
Qwant will delete this data within 6 months of receiving the request.
This processing is necessary for the performance of Qwant’s General Terms of Use, on the basis of Article 6.1.b of the GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of the contract between you and us).
Job application management
In order to process job applications received from our recruitment forms, Qwant may collect the following data:
– Curriculum vitae;
– Last name, first name;
– E-mail address;
– Postal address;
– Phone number;
– Any other personal data provided by the candidate.
This data is kept for a maximum of two years from the last exchange with the candidate.
This processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by Qwant in processing your applications, on the basis of Article 6.1.f of the GDPR.
Management of delisting requests
In order to process requests related to the exercise of rights related to personal data as well as requests for removal of unlawful content, Qwant may collect the following data:
- Name and surname;
- Proof of identity ;
- Contact e-mail address ;
- IP address of the reporting person (when reporting illicit content);
- Any other personal data provided by the applicant.
With respect to data collected in the context of a request you make to Qwant (delisting, rights to your personal data, illegal content), the retention period is set in accordance with the regulations applicable to each of these rights. For more details, you can refer to the following section entitled “What are your rights and how to exercise them?”.
This processing is necessary to comply with Qwant’s legal obligations, based on Article 6.1.c of the GDPR.
What are your rights and how to exercise them?
Data protection regulation grants you specific rights over your data and its processing by Qwant, which are as follows and as detailed below:
– right of access, rectification and deletion of data under the conditions provided for by the regulations (articles 15 to 17 of the GDRP);
– the right to object to processing under the conditions provided for by the regulations (article 21 of the GDPR);
– the right to limit the processing of such data under the conditions provided for by the regulations (article 18 of the GDPR);
– right to data portability (Article 20 of the GDPR);
– the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (Article 13 of the GDPR); and
– right to define directives in the event of death (articles 84 to 86 of France’s Data Protection Act)
Qwant has designated a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to the CNIL (the French data protection authority), with whom you can exercise each of these rights:
- by writing by mail to QWANT – Service juridique, 10 boulevard Haussmann 75009 Paris, France ;
- or by e-mailing dpo@qwant.net
Right to access
You can ask us directly whether we hold data about you and also information about their processing (e.g. the categories of data processed). This right also allows you to ask Qwant to provide you with all such data.
Information related to the exercise of this right of access (e.g., your contact information) is retained for one year from the date of Qwant’s response, and then deleted after this period.
Right to rectify
You may change or delete your Qwant account profile information at any time.
For job applications, you have the possibility to correct them either by replying to the automatic email you received when you sent your application or by sending us an email at dpo@qwant.net.
For the delisting requests and the exercise of other rights, you can correct them by sending us an e-mail at dpo@qwant.net.
The information related to the exercise of this right of rectification (for example your contact information) is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s response, then deleted at the end of this period.
For the delisting requests and the exercise of other rights, you can correct them by sending us an e-mail at dpo@qwant.net.
The information related to the exercise of this right of rectification (for example your contact information) is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s response, then deleted at the end of this period.
Right to erasure and “right to be forgotten”.
This right gives you the possibility to have your data deleted as soon as possible by Qwant.
Concretely, you have the possibility to delete your account by following instructions detailed here. As of the request to close the account, the data you have provided will then be deleted after 7 days, subject to our legal and regulatory obligations.
Similarly, you may request deletion of your job application if you no longer wish it to be processed by Qwant. Upon receipt of your request to close your application file, all data you have provided will then be deleted as soon as possible and within 15 days of your request at the latest.
Finally, you can request the deletion of the data collected via the information request forms on the site, with the exception of the forms dedicated to the exercise of your rights. Upon receipt of your request for deletion, all data you have communicated via the forms concerned will then be deleted as soon as possible and no later than 6 months from your request.
The information related to the exercise of the right of deletion of your data is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s reply and then deleted after this period has expired.
You have a specific right reserved for private individuals recognized for search engine users by the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ), known as the “right to be forgotten”. When the search composed of your name and surname leads to results that are inaccurate, obsolete, sensitive or excessive, you can send us a request for dereferencing of the web page(s) associated with your name and surname by filling out our specific form. Your request will be examined on a case-by-case basis, and the URL(s) mentioned will be removed from the results of this search, provided that the balance of interests involved does not impose a preference for the public’s right to information (for example, if you are an elected official seeking to have a controversial political statement omitted).
Information related to the exercise of this right to be forgotten (e.g., your contact information) is archived one year after the date of Qwant’s response and is permanently deleted after the statutory limitation period (three years).
Right to oppose
The right of opposition, as its name indicates, allows you to object to the processing of your data by Qwant.
The information related to the exercise of this right of opposition (e.g. your contact details) is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s reply and will be definitively deleted after the legal prescription period (three years).
Right to limit to processing
This right allows you, for example, to obtain the temporary withdrawal of the data published on the site in case of dispute about the accuracy of the data, for a period of time allowing Qwant to carry out the necessary checks.
The information related to the exercise of this right (e.g. your contact details) is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s reply and then deleted after this period.
Right to portability
This right allows you to receive the data you have communicated or to ask Qwant to transmit them to another data controller (another site for example).
The information related to the exercise of this right (e.g. your contact information) is kept for one year from the date of Qwant’s response and then deleted at the end of this period.
You have the possibility to obtain a copy of your data by going to your Qwant account, by clicking on the “Receive a copy of my data” button.
What data is processed when playing videos?
When videos are embedded within search results, you can watch them without leaving Qwant. We don’t retain data related to your use of the videos. However, the videos are loaded by your browser from the servers of their hosting service, which may collect some of your personal data. The playing of videos obtained from the YouTube API Services is then subject to YouTube’s Terms of Service and to Google’s Privacy Policy. Videos obtained from the Dailymotion API are subject to Dailymotion’s Terms of Use, and to Dailymotion’s Privacy Policy.
What data is processed for the Qwant mobile application on Android and iOS?
- Last update: March 16, 2023
