Private Search

Route OpenClaw web searches through privacy-respecting engines (Brave Search, Kagi, SearXNG) instead of Google or Bing. Eliminates ad-network tracking from your AI agent's research. Configurable engine, result count, and tracking-param stripping.

Private Search for OpenClaw

Route all web searches through privacy-respecting engines. No ads. No tracking. No query monetization.

Why This Exists

OpenAI now shows ads to ChatGPT users and routes queries through ad-network-partnered search APIs. OpenClaw defaults to Google/Bing-backed search — both of which monetize your queries. This skill replaces that with:

• Brave Search — independent index, no ad tracking, free tier available
• Kagi — premium ad-free search, best result quality
• SearXNG — fully self-hosted, zero third-party dependency

Quick Setup (Brave Search — Recommended)

1. Get a free Brave Search API key: https://api.search.brave.com/
2. Set env var: BRAVE_API_KEY=your_key_here
3. Done. All agent web searches now route through Brave.

Configuration

Set any of these in your OpenClaw environment:

Variable	Description	Default
BRAVE_API_KEY	Brave Search API key	Required for Brave
KAGI_API_KEY	Kagi API key	Optional
SEARXNG_URL	Self-hosted SearXNG URL	Optional
PRIVATE_SEARCH_ENGINE	brave, kagi, or searxng	brave
PRIVATE_SEARCH_RESULTS	Number of results to return	5
PRIVATE_SEARCH_STRIP_TRACKING	Strip UTM/tracking params from URLs	true

Usage

Once configured, use web search naturally. This skill overrides the default search behavior:

text

Search for the latest OpenAI news
Find me pricing for Hetzner VPS plans
What are the top AI tools this week?

All queries route through your chosen private engine.

Engine Comparison

Engine	Cost	Privacy	Index Quality	Best For
Brave	Free tier (2,000/mo) / $3/mo for 20K	High	Good	Most users
Kagi	$10–$25/mo	Highest	Excellent	Power users
SearXNG	Self-hosted (free)	Maximum	Varies	Devs/privacy maximalists

How It Works

This skill provides a private_web_search tool that:

1. Accepts a query string and optional parameters
2. Routes to your configured engine via API
3. Strips tracking parameters from all result URLs (UTM, fbclid, gclid, etc.)
4. Returns clean, structured results
5. Never logs queries to third-party ad networks

Scripts

Run the setup script for guided configuration:

bash

bash scripts/setup-brave-search.sh

References

See references/privacy-engines.md for full engine documentation, pricing tiers, and self-hosting instructions for SearXNG.

Privacy Guarantee

This skill never sends your queries to Google, Bing, or any ad-network-affiliated search provider when properly configured. Your research stays private.

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Published on ClawHub. Built in response to OpenAI's March 2026 ad rollout.