  Search engines, such as Google, have a considerable impact on society.
Therefore, undesirable consequences, such as retrieving incorrect search
results, pose a risk to users. Although previous research has reported the
adverse outcomes of web search, little is known about how search engine users
evaluate those outcomes. In this study, we show which aspects of web search are
perceived as risky using a sample (N = 3,884) representative of the German
Internet population. We found that many participants are often concerned with
adverse consequences immediately appearing on the search engine result page.
Moreover, participants' experiences with adverse consequences are directly
related to their risk perception. Our results demonstrate that people perceive
risks related to web search. In addition to our study, there is a need for more
independent research on the possible detrimental outcomes of web search to
monitor and mitigate risks. Apart from risks for individuals, search engines
with a massive number of users have an extraordinary impact on society;
therefore, the acceptable risks of web search should be discussed.
