According to Nicholas A. Ferrell, Lukol Search Engine Shows Up in Logs. In our Koko Analytics referral statistics, we sometimes notice new search engines (learn about Koko Analytics here). Lukol search engine. It bills itself as a “anonymous search engine” powered by “Google custom search.” That was strange, so you can check the privacy policy to see how anonymous it is. It claims to not gather “personally identifiable information” at first, but then:
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or they’ve collected from your use of their services. If you wish to opt out of Google cookies you may do so by visiting the Google privacy policy page.
So, in order to provide you with personalised “content and adverts,” this anonymous search engine sets cookies on your computer and shares information about your usage of the site with “advertising and analytics partners.” It then redirects you to Google’s privacy policies website, where you may learn how to opt out of Google cookies. While I’m not sure how Lukol is privacy-friendly (much alone anonymous), it’s a wonderful illustration of why it’s necessary to look beyond catchy privacy and anonymity claims.