I am writing to recommend that Kagi consider the development of a new app: “Kagi Defender,” a tool that leverages Kagi’s superior search functionality to scan the web and to report sites and data brokers where users’ personal information is exposed. In this way, users will be more fully informed about the extent to which personal information is openly available – and, empowered and motivated to monitor their digital footprint and to optionally take action to reduce that footprint.
In brief, the app could work as follows:
- The user enters personally identifiable information, such as current and former names, residential addresses, telephone numbers, and/or email addresses. Because the information resides within an app on a user’s device, it is not stored on a Kagi server and thus ensures anonymity.
- Kagi searches the web for the user’s personal information – and, more specifically, searches data broker websites (e.g., see this Data Broker Directory).
- Kagi reports a summary of where the user’s personal information is exposed – and, optionally highlights those new occurrences that have been detected since the prior time the tool was used.
The concept reinforces Kagi’s resistance against the surveillance business model, and sits in the company’s “sweet spot” at the intersection of search and privacy.
P.S.: To clarify, I am not suggesting that Kagi get into the business of personal data removal or reputation management.
