Hey everyone - Gabriela here from SerpApi 😄

I’ve been in the web-scraping world for a while now, and if there is one thing I've learned, it's that data privacy is a spectrum. For most standard projects, robust proxy rotation and secure connections are enough. For Enterprise teams doing legal discovery, sensitive competitive analysis, or high-compliance research, it’s common to want tighter controls around what data is processed, how it’s handled, and how long it’s retained.

That is why I’m excited to talk about ZeroTrace Mode (also called Zero Data Retention).

In this article, you’ll learn:

  • What Zero Data Retention is (and how it differs from standard requests)
  • Why privacy is essential in modern web data collection
  • How SerpApi protects your data behind the scenes
  • How to enable ZeroTrace Mode

Let’s break it down.

What is ZeroTrace Mode? (The TL;DR)

Standard SerpApi requests are already highly secure, utilizing rotating proxies to shield your IP. However, Zero Data Retention is a specialized feature for Enterprise plans that takes this a step further with a reduced-retention approach, where SerpApi aims to limit the storage of request/response artifacts and shorten retention periods where feasible.

When you pass the zero_trace=true parameter:

  1. Standard mode: We process the search and return the results, minimizing log retention to the functional minimum required to deliver that response.
  2. Enhanced Anonymity: It ensures that the target site sees a generic, unidentifiable request that cannot be linked back to your organization’s infrastructure.

Think of it this way: Standard mode is like driving a car with tinted windows. ZeroTrace is like taking a car that vanishes as soon as you step out of it.

Why Zero Data Retention Matters for Sensitive Data Collection

In today’s web ecosystem, privacy isn’t just a bonus feature - for many industries, it’s a requirement. Here is why Enterprise teams are switching this mode on.

1. Reducing exposure to competitor inference

Even when IPs are proxied, sophisticated parties may try to infer activity patterns from traffic behavior. A reduced-retention posture can help lower internal exposure and shrink the amount of stored context that could be sensitive if accessed or requested later.

2. Supporting privacy-law and contractual obligations

For public companies and regulated industries, data hygiene is critical.

  • Confidential Processing: Zero Data Retention treats Personal Data as Confidential Information by default.
  • Risk Reduction: By minimizing data retention and exposure, you reduce the risk of accidental retention, unintentional tracking, or violating strict internal DPAs (Data Processing Agreements).

Why You Should Not Build Your Own Scraper (The DIY Risk)

A frequent question is: “Can’t we just scrape this ourselves?” Sometimes you can — but it often increases operational risk.

Defending Against Browser & Network Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting is the process of collecting technical signals (browser traits, device traits, network behavior) to build a profile.

  • Why DIY scraping can leak signals: Self-managed stacks can unintentionally expose identifying details like cloud-provider patterns, misconfigured headers, or non-standard client fingerprints.
  • How SerpApi can help: Centralizing request handling and applying platform-level controls can reduce exposure and variability in those signals.

Preventing Operational Leaks

DIY stacks can fail in mundane ways: a proxy misconfiguration, a debugging header left in place, or an IP allowlist mistake. Those errors can expose real infrastructure details faster than most teams expect.

How SerpApi Protects Your Activity (General Security)

Whether you are using standard requests or Zero Data Retention, your data is supported by SerpApi's core security philosophy. These are the measures that run in the background for all users to keep the platform safe.

1. Strong Encryption

SerpApi encrypts 100% of web traffic using modern protocols such as HTTPS, QUIC, X25519, and AES-128-GCM.

  • Plain-English explanation: Encryption helps reduce the risk of third parties intercepting traffic in transit.

2. Zero-Trust Architecture

We follow a zero-trust model, meaning every system is treated as if it could be exposed to the public internet.

  • Plain-English explanation: We lock every door inside the building, not just the front entrance. Even if an attacker touched one part of the network, they couldn't move laterally to customer data.

3. Compliance & Confidentiality

SerpApi follows GDPR, SOC-II, and ISO-related requirements. Our Confidentiality Agreement limits strictly when customer info is shared.

  • Plain-English explanation: Your information stays your information. We do not sell your search history, and we do not share it with third parties.

How to Enable ZeroTrace Mode

Activating ZeroTrace Mode requires only one parameter added to your request.

Note: Because Zero Data Retention touches deep security, privacy, and infrastructure guarantees, it is available only on our Enterprise plan.

Here’s the GET example:

https://serpapi.com/search.json?q=coffee&zero_trace=true

And the cURL example:

curl --get https://serpapi.com/search \
 -d q="coffee" \
 -d zero_trace="true" \
 -d api_key="YOUR_API_KEY"

You can enable ZeroTrace for the specific queries you want to protect and omit the parameter for general, less sensitive queries.

Conclusion

ZeroTrace Mode is best understood as a privacy-tightened configuration: it’s intended to reduce retained data and limit unnecessary exposure for higher-sensitivity use cases, while still keeping the platform reliable and secure.

Combined with encrypted transport, a zero-trust posture, and DPA-aligned confidentiality commitments, reduced retention can be an additional layer in an Enterprise privacy program — and it’s strongest when the scope and guarantees are spelled out clearly in the relevant agreement(s).

If you want to explore whether this fits your Enterprise plan, reach out at contact@serpapi.com.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Your situation may involve specific legal, regulatory, or contractual requirements. Please consult your own legal team (and, if needed, your privacy/compliance stakeholders) to confirm the appropriate language and obligations for your use case.