... why was the default not www.kproxy.com or startpage these allow you to search on google without being subjected to google snooping! ...
There are many explanations, speculations, and genuine reasons that have previously been given in numerous threads before this one. I won't even attempt to reprise them here, other than to simply summarize that Opera did it for reasons that matter to them. Given that it's a free browser, we as users either accept that until Opera changes it or else move on.