Jean-Manuel Rozan & Eric Léandri (QWANT): “Confidentiality and non-use of data are icing on the cake”

Leaders League. How did you get the idea to target the search engine market dominated by an actor in a quasi-monopoly position?

Jean-Manuel Rozan. In 2011, Google wanted to create an entire universe around its products, favoring its own services at its competitors’ expense. The intent of Internet neutrality was abandoned. It became thus possible to create an alternative purveyor of positive values. With Eric’s savvy, we could adventure in a way that has proved useful and necessary for all: operators, users, media...

Eric Léandri. Unlike other government-encouraged attempts,, it is  users that have led us to success. With the public’s adherence, the EU has decided to support us. Google has built a closed universe under its control; Qwant does the opposite. There is no one single cookie and the regulations of European data protection authorities are respected.

Leaders League. Do you think users are mature enough on privacy issues to appreciate your argument on this matter?

J.-M. R. Internet users are looking for easy use and attach importance to the right to privacy. Our value proposition is based on excellent search results and good ergonomics. If faced with two offers of equivalent service quality, we naturally lean towards the one proposing additional promise. For us, confidentiality and non-use of data are icing on the cake. When Google displays customized results related to targeting and data exploitation, one must ask who the winner is. The benefits for Google are obvious, but users’ stories are not that simple.

E. L. We offer users freedom of choice, which they are deprived of with traditional search engines.

Translated from the French article of Thomas Bastin by Jeanne Yizhen Yin