"Why does Kagi Search require an email address?
We require an email address to be able to verify the account really belongs to you in the following cases:
To handle the account recovery (in case you lose your password)
In case you contact us via email with an account related questions (in particular requests to delete your account or change your subscription)
To occasionally send product updates, which you can disable in your Kagi settings or unsubscribe directly from the email
Note that you can use an anonymous email provider such as SimpleLogin with Kagi Search and it is up to you what email address you want to use.
Kagi does not need your personal information and the above requirements are just bare minimums needed in order to be able to operate a subscription product business."
It's similar to services like Bitwarden in that regard.
Mullvad can get away with not doing that because they have a single plan with a low price.
>> [...] instead chose to ask for an email during signup and hide this bit of info in a completely separate page, [...]
>> they say they don't need this info but sure seems to me they seem to want to have it
>> And part of the message I get from reading their F.A.Q. is that a valid email address might start being required at any time soon.
>> But it's these kinds of mixed signals [...]
If they had presence here in the EU, then at least there would be some legal risk (GDPR) for Kagi if they do the deed and get caught. Higher than their current situation at least, where we only have their word.
"Why does Kagi Search require an email address? We require an email address to be able to verify the account really belongs to you in the following cases:
To handle the account recovery (in case you lose your password) In case you contact us via email with an account related questions (in particular requests to delete your account or change your subscription) To occasionally send product updates, which you can disable in your Kagi settings or unsubscribe directly from the email Note that you can use an anonymous email provider such as SimpleLogin with Kagi Search and it is up to you what email address you want to use.
Kagi does not need your personal information and the above requirements are just bare minimums needed in order to be able to operate a subscription product business."
It's similar to services like Bitwarden in that regard.
Mullvad can get away with not doing that because they have a single plan with a low price.