Boogle launches blockchain-based search engine

Photo by Fre Sonneveld

Boogle Group has launched globally its self-named censorship-free search engine, built by its user community and operated entirely on blockchain.

This followed a two-year development process and a successful test run of its beta version platform among its initial subscriber base.

Built on a hybrid blockchain, Boogle is a decentralised global search engine that stores all ranking and search data on the blockchain, and cumulatively builds a search ranking system “democratically” from the search results across all its users.

“The Internet should be a free and open space where we can get unfiltered access to information,” said Boogle’s co-founder and CEO, Patrick Lee. “However, Internet giants have a disproportionate amount of control over content and our personal data have been mined for profits, without our permission.”

Lee said Boogle is a response to these problems, and it seeks to create search engine built on a decentralised platform like blockchain which is secure, network-neutral and free from monopoly by any internet organization or central authority.

 Boogle is largely self-financed with an initial investment of close to S$4 million. It is also in talks with several global banks and financial institutions including China Minsheng Bank Corp., Ltd., a fintech fund, as well as certain private banking entities.

Since the rollout of Boogle’s alpha version 2018 and subsequently the beta version, it has amassed over a million subscribers from its key markets of Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea. It has also gained subscribers from Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Mexico, Spain, Kenya and Russia.

Over the last two years, the Boogle team has met with relevant government authorities in each market to obtain approvals for various operational aspects such as data access and cryptocurrency payment systems, ultimately to fast-track the adoption of Boogle in each country.

Southeast Asia, with its population of approximately 650 million, is its current key growth market and Boogle intends to build a subscriber base throughout the entire region by 2022.

Together with its search engine, Boogle is also launching a suite of other functionalities including its advertising platform, Boogle Ads, chat function, Boochat, and a search engine tailored for kids, Boogle Junior.