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Comment by netsroht

Being logged in while making search queries in search engines poses significant privacy risks. The searches can paint a comprehensive profile of the user, and these data often remain stored for extended periods. There's a chance this information might be shared with third parties. Coupled with other user data, these logged-in searches can pave the way for targeted advertising, sophisticated predictive analysis, and potential exploitation by governments or malicious entities. In the event of data breaches, the user's logged-in search histories can be exposed. Furthermore, users typically don't have clear insight into how their data is utilized when logged in.

I hope Kagi introduces an anonymous access feature. For instance, it could incorporate zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). These are cryptographic techniques where one party (the prover) can confirm to another (the verifier) that a claim is accurate without disclosing any additional information. This is especially beneficial for authentication scenarios where it's essential to avoid sharing extra details.

To implement zero-knowledge authentication for quota API access:

1. Token Creation:

- Each month, users receive a token tied to their identity and quota.

- The token can be split for use on multiple devices using cryptographic methods.

2. API Access:

- Clients present a zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) to confirm they have a valid token and haven't used up their quota. The server verifies this without seeing the exact details.

3. Client Synchronization:

- Each client tracks its quota usage.

- Synchronization can be peer-to-peer or through a centralized, encrypted server to prevent double spending of the quota.

4. Quota Renewal:

- Monthly, old tokens expire, and new tokens are issued.

Challenges:

- ZKPs can be resource-intensive.

- Token security is crucial; there should be a way to handle lost or compromised tokens.

- The system should prevent quota "double-spending" across devices.

- If a centralized server is used for synchronization, it should operate with encrypted data.

This way Kagi would only know who their customers are but not what kind of searches they make.

parent netsroht 3 years ago

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