The EFF has just published a fairly comprehensive list of ways that you can search the web without fear of having your search history sold, stolen or otherwise misused. I suggest that everyone gives it a look. Here are some of the highlights.

1. Don’t put personally identifying information in your search terms (easy)

Don’t search for your name, address, credit card number, social security number, or other personal information. These kinds of searches can create a roadmap that leads right to your doorstep. They could also expose you to identity theft and other privacy invasions.

3. Don’t login to your search engine or related tools (intermediate)

Search engines sometimes give you the opportunity to create a personal account and login. In addition, many engines are affiliated with other services — Google with Gmail and Google Chat; MSN with Hotmail and MSN Messenger; A9 with Amazon, and so on. When you log into the search engine or one of those other services, your searches can be linked to each other and to your personal account.

6. Use web proxies and anonymizing software like Tor (advanced)

Tor (http://tor.eff.org) is a software product that encrypts then sends your Internet traffic through a series of randomly selected computers, thus obscuring the source and route of your requests. It allows you to communicate with another computer on the Internet without that computer, the computers in the middle, or eavesdroppers knowing where or who you are. Tor is not perfect, but it would take a sophisticated surveillance effort to thwart its protections.

While it is more than a little unlikely that your search terms are really going to get out, it’s better to be a little cautious now than end up like that poor AOL customer with the penchant for searching for “dogs that urinate on everything“.