What are web browsers and search engines?

"What is black fungus?"

"Who is Elon Musk?"

"What is Dogecoin?"

"When is the next Olympics?"

"How to use Clubhouse?"

For these questions the usual answer is, "Just Google it!"

What is a Web Browser?

A web browser or browser is an application that helps you to access the internet. The most common browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and so on.

Modern browsers are powerful tools that help us watch videos, listen to music, post our favourite pictures on social media, send emails and more. They tend to provide seamless functionality even on mobile devices.

Each browser has its own functionality. While Chrome is the most popular web browser, we believe that you should use one of the following. They offer both security and privacy.

Also read: Privacy and Security are both important for us online. But they are not the same thing.

What is a Search Engine?

A search engine is a tool that helps you to search the internet. The blinking cursor that you see when you open your browser is typically a search engine. They make your life easy while searching for information.

Here's a quick question: What is Google, a web browser or a search engine? The answer is, Google is a search engine. Chrome, which is run by the same company, is a web browser.

The confusion between the two terms sometimes arises because of Google's popularity. The term "Google" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary on 15 June 2006.

There are many other search engines which promise both security and privacy (unlike Google which is secure but not very private):

DuckDuckGo

StartPage

Qwant

searX

Swisscows

Generally speaking, it is a useful to use multiple search engines and web browsers for different needs. We recommend downloading different ones onto your devices even if you don't have any plans to use them right now. More likely than not, you will start using them out of curiosity!

This is part of a series on digital literacy titled Digital Buddhi, aimed at helping you be safe online.

Amoghavarsha H is a digital investigator and a journalist.