I've switched to ddg for my basic searches. Hard searches still go through Google but the truth is, most of my searches these days are because I can't be bothered bookmarking stuff, not because they are difficult searches.
The nymwars are the main reason I switched. Ironically I always have had my real name attached to my account. However Google suddenly insisting on it being my real name makes me very paranoid about what Google could possibly want from it. I'm happy for them to use data about me anonymously - I couldn't care less if they mine every email I ever send and every search I ever do as long as I am sure it is safe and secure and impersonal. But as soon as I get a sense they are not treating my participation as anonymous they lose the lot, and that's effectively what they did with the nymwars.
The nymwars are the main reason I switched. Ironically I always have had my real name attached to my account. However Google suddenly insisting on it being my real name makes me very paranoid about what Google could possibly want from it. I'm happy for them to use data about me anonymously - I couldn't care less if they mine every email I ever send and every search I ever do as long as I am sure it is safe and secure and impersonal. But as soon as I get a sense they are not treating my participation as anonymous they lose the lot, and that's effectively what they did with the nymwars.