I suspect it's someone being clever.
I think doing subsequent searches as a "#q=x" change to the URL lets them avoid reloading the page and use clever javascript to replace the results.
I think doing subsequent searches as a "#q=x" change to the URL lets them avoid reloading the page and use clever javascript to replace the results.
OTOH, if you only put search params in the anchor-tag part, the initial search is much slower on slow connections.
Still, infoleaks are BAD. Page load and update speed shouldn't come before safety of a user's private information.
1) I'm not a web dev, I'm a backend and networking guy.
2) Given that -AIUI- any non-host, non-scheme, or non-path part of the URL can be programatically altered in a newer browser without triggering a page reload, I don't see how one can call the behavior a "basic fact about how web browsing works". I would call that sort of thing an "implementation detail". :)