In the wake of recent backlash against Facebook and Google over their handling of user information, The San Francisco Chronicle reports that "a slate of ambitious online startups are aiming to squeeze into the fields of social networking and search by touting a stronger focus on privacy." In such privacy-focused social networking projects as Diaspora, Appleseed and OneSocialWeb as well as search engines like Yauba, Ixquick and Duck Duck, a strong focus on privacy is included as part of the package, the report states. And while market analysts do not see privacy as the sole factor to draw users from one service to another, Ryan Calo, whose company reviews Web applications based on privacy, security and openness, believes companies have begun to use privacy as a business differentiator.
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