DuckDuckGo Review: Privacy-focused Search Engine

Mar 16, 2022
DuckDuckGo Privacy, featured image, illustration.

Security of your privacy and data is getting more and more important. Many people are worried about their personal data that the search engines gather, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. These concerns have led many people to look for alternative options. Most popular among them is DuckDuckGo one that has a focus on privacy.

DuckDuckGo is an online search engine which promises security and secure browsing. They also offer the privacy-oriented browser available for mobile devices.

However, how secure and reliable are you sure? DuckDuckGo?

In this article, we'll go over everything you should be aware of DuckDuckGo as well as its numerous privacy features.

Let's dive in.

Check Out This Video Instruction on DuckDuckGo

What exactly is DuckDuckGo?

DuckDuckGo advert:
DuckDuckGo is a search engine for online security.

DuckDuckGo is a well-known search engine specifically created for users who would like to keep their information private while surfing the web.

DuckDuckGo gives its services under the form of a simple sentence: " Same Internet with more security."

Although DuckDuckGo isn't exactly the world's most used search engine, it has a huge customer base. By 2020, DuckDuckGo offers more than 3 billion monthly searches and assists users who have 5 million or more downloaded via mobile applications as well as desktop computers.

The customers of DuckDuckGo are equally thrilled with their website. This is evident in that DuckDuckGo has been rated an average score of 4.8 in the Apple as well as Google Play stores.

Let's learn more information about the history of DuckDuckGo.

DuckDuckGo A Short History

Entrepreneur Gabriel Weinberg founded DuckDuckGo in February 2008. Weinberg created DuckDuckGo to offer a viable alternative to conventional search engines, such as Google and Yahoo.

The search engine might not immediately gain popularity, it was able to gain the respect of its users swiftly. By the end of 2008 the site was on the most popular of sites like Hacker News and Reddit.

The following decade, DuckDuckGo became famous through various important campaigns. It was among them that made every single journey through DuckDuckGo completely anonymous, the DontTrack.us website, and the well-known billboard ads that reads "Google is tracking your movements. We don't."

Following the success of these campaigns, DuckDuckGo's users' base increased.

Due to increased scrutiny of the capitalist surveillance system, DuckDuckGo is currently seeing a rebound in popularity. Between 2018 and the year 2020, the search engine doubled its number of searches between 25 billion and 50 billion results.

When someone is first introduced to DuckDuckGo the first time they hear of it, they usually look at their noses at the name. The name "DuckDuckGo" does not refer to search engines. Weinberg developed his search engine in honor of the game that is played by millions of youngsters called "Duck Duck Goose."

The Privacy Options for DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is well-known worldwide due to its privacy-related functions. From its beginnings, DuckDuckGo has cultivated a reputation as an alternative search engine, which values the privacy of its users.

But how exactly does DuckDuckGo secure your personal data? In this post, we'll review the most effective DuckDuckGo privacy tools as well as describe how they work.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials Browser Extension

DuckDuckGo in the Google Chrome extensions store.
DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials is a noteworthy characteristic of this search engine.

Privacy Essentials The Privacy Essentials Extension is a combination of the search engine as well as an ad blocker. When you type in a search using the device, Privacy Essentials blocks any advertising banners and popups that typically appear in search results.

This extension has a variety of integrated privacy functions. It includes:

  • Blocks online tracking through browsers on websites you browse.
  • The results of your search are protected to guard them against Internet services.
  • Global Privacy Control (GPC) warns sites not to share or sell the information they have gathered regarding you.
DuckDuckGo's homepage.
Personalize the look and feel of your DuckDuckGo experience and let it to highlight your most frequently visited websites.

One of the most well-known features offered through DuckDuckGo is "untracked browsing." The majority of search engines monitor the results of your searches using a range of ways, including data from sites that you visit and the information you consume as well as your IP address and device details in addition to various other. Although each set of data is anonymized, companies may use them together to locate your location as well as track your user.

The search functions of DuckDuckGo that are untracked are accessible for sites you go to.

What is the best way to DuckDuckGo Guard Privacy If Sites Use Cookies?

Many websites save your personal details using cookies. Cookies are tiny text files that are used to recognize the user. Websites make use of cookies to discover the kind of habits you use to browse and then display content targeted for you.

DuckDuckGo prevents websites from storing cookies in turn, blocking access to your personal information. Since it doesn't know you, it isn't able to transfer that information to.

The level of privacy

The DuckDuckGo mobile app showing "Privacy Protection" switched on.
DuckDuckGo privacy score warns users that a site is tracking your information.

Privacy Grade is yet another very popular DuckDuckGo feature , that operates through the browser extension as well as the mobile application. The Privacy Grade feature is able to detect when a site tracks your personal information, and then informs that you are being tracked when you browse.

Privacy Grade accomplishes two things:

  1. It calculates the amount of requests for tracking has it blocked from its website.
  2. It examines the conditions of service with the below ToS:"DR" stands for Do Not Read. (Terms of Service"Didn't Read").

Once you've received each web site's score, you'll have the ability to view the tracks they've tried to place on the person.

DuckDuckGo can also reveal the effects of its privacy tools. When it issues an assessment, it'll provide you with a line that says "Enhanced between __ and __" (e.g., "Enhanced from D to B"). The first grade shown in red is the original grade that was assigned, while the second grade, which is green, is an one that was adjusted by the security features.

Burn Bar

To use Burn Bar to access Burn Bar inside the DuckDuckGo application, just press the flame icon visible in the lower right corner right of your screen.

Blocking embedded social media content

DuckDuckGo warning: "DuckDuckGo blocked this Facebook Page"
If you believe that a social media site is trying to track your movements, DuckDuckGo can instantly block any tracking attempts.

Since social media has become an essential part of life for the vast majority internet users, numerous sites are now embedding contents of social media, like Youtube videos into their web contents.

This creates a privacy problem that raises the eyes of the majority of internet users.

If a site embeds a Facebook post the social media site will track the person who viewed it , which includes your IP address.

That means two different third-party companies are collecting your data: the site which you've been to as well as the embedding social media site.

This feature is now accessible in DuckDuckGo's browser extension and mobile apps.

Search Leakage Prevention

DuckDuckGo makes use of the phrase "search leakage" to describe the ways that search engines like Yahoo, Bing, and Google join your personal information.

When you click on a new link that you have clicked on, your search engine will transmit tiny bits of information on the page you clicked on. These tiny pieces of information make a record of your data that allows search engines as well as other websites to monitor the activities you engage in.

To avoid this occurring, DuckDuckGo protects its users using two different strategies.

Additionally, DuckDuckGo shows an encrypted version of the websites you visit. The method prevents websites from collecting any information regarding your. The basic idea behind DuckDuckGo is to create a barrier between you and the website.

No user profile collection

Google and other search engines such as Google make an image of your identity through the creation of a "user profile." The profile of the user provides general information about yourself such as the details of your

  • Age
  • Gender
  • IP address
  • Device

The search engines combine this information with your online habits and cookie history that allow them to create an understanding of, and capitalize on your interest.

The privacy features offered by DuckDuckGo stop the website from collecting identifying data concerning the user or their searches and also allowing you to use the Internet without any profile. This option is great for people who wish to stay clear of personalized ads.

It also comes with a advantage: it removes bubbles of filters. If you're trapped in an "filter bubble" the search engine will be capable of prioritizing outcomes of the search based on the persona of the user. Because filter bubbles can limit your searches, browsing on the web without having profiles of users can help to provide more comprehensive results.

Tor Exit Enclave

Tor is an online browser which allows users to browse the internet in anonymity. When you utilize Tor you can browse through various servers that are secured.

This means it is nearly impossible for any other person to monitor your online activity since multiple layers of encryption safeguard your browsing data.

DuckDuckGo assists users to browse the internet via Tor through the operation of an Tor exit enclosure. The enclave lets users use DuckDuckGo via Tor fast, and without being able to hide their browsing.

For use with duckDuckGo's Tor exit enclosure, you'll have to install Tor and then use the DuckDuckGo search engine.

Content Security Policy Reports

As with many other online companies, DuckDuckGo's search engine safeguards users from dangerous websites making use of the Content Security Policy (CSP).

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CSP's interface with your browser in order to detect and block third-party sites that may launch cyber-security attacks against your.

The DuckDuckGo CSP defends against various attacks which include:

  • Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) attacks The website that is injecting malicious and unwanted malware into the browser on your computer in these types of attacks.
  • Attacks using clickjacking in these attacks hackers trick you into clicking to click on an item that is malicious.

The DuckDuckGo CSP feature is accessible through their search engine, which means you can use it via DuckDuckGo.com and also their Privacy Essentials extension to the Firefox browser, along with the mobile app.

What's the reason why you should use DuckDuckGo instead of Guard Your Security

In the section preceding we have covered a wide range of privacy features offered by DuckGo. Why is DuckDuckGo better than other privacy options?

Ultimately, DuckDuckGo gives users some of the security and privacy advantages of more invasive solutions like Tor but without affecting the performance of internet surfing.

That said, DuckDuckGo isn't a perfect instrument.

DuckDuckGo Privacy and Security Concerns

DuckDuckGo can be a useful technology, however users have certain concerns about it. In this section, we will discuss two issues.

Furthermore, its affiliate links automatically apply to the purchase made through Amazon as well as eBay. When DuckDuckGo uses an affiliate link it pays the company it a percentage of the money that you pay.

Although this gives DuckDuckGo access to your transaction data (like what you bought) but it's not able to access any identifiable information (like your shipping address).

Localized Results

Although DuckDuckGo does not use your IP address to search however, it does use the location information whenever you type in search terms like "Thai restaurant near me." Particularly, DuckDuckGo uses a GEO::IP search that estimates the geographical exact location of your.

Sometimes , the information is extremely precise. However, often, the data isn't.

DuckDuckGo option for setting location: "Anonymously use browser location for better results?"
With DuckDuckGo You can surf websites completely anonymously.

In the pop-up, it states that DuckDuckGo does not keep information about your location within its servers.

What can you do to increase your privacy DuckDuckGo

While DuckDuckGo offers users a some level of security there are many other methods to get the most out of this technology. Here are some suggestions for starting:

  • Install the DuckDuckGo browser extension and toggle on the privacy settings for all settings.
  • Verify the privacy rating of sites you visit.
  • Download the mobile app and then click its "burn" button at the conclusion of every session on the internet.
  • Make use of Tor together with DuckDuckGo to create an enclosure for exits.

How DuckDuckGo is compared to other Search Engines

If you're considering exploring DuckDuckGo, you may be wondering how it compares to Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Google vs DuckDuckGo Google

The Google homepage.
DuckDuckGo could be a good alternative to Google according to your preference.

Although the DuckDuckGo search engine comes with capabilities that are similar to Bang search results, it's not equipped to provide the same level of customization that Google offers. Google.

If you want a variety of options to search, you can go with Google However, if value your privacy and data security, it is possible to use DuckDuckGo.

DuckDuckGo Vs Bing

The Bing homepage.
Think about DuckDuckGo as an alternative to Bing alternative.

DuckDuckGo's image search features don't stack up to Bing's, however it does provide anonymous browsing.

DuckDuckGo Vs Yahoo

The Yahoo homepage.
You can use DuckDuckGo to replace Yahoo.

Yahoo is a very adaptable search engine with a lot of flexibility. Users can alter the user interface according to their own preferences. It also allows users to customize ads. Yahoo Search also works well in conjunction with other Yahoo products , such as Yahoo News as well as Yahoo Mail.

DuckDuckGo, Bing, and Yahoo all have the same features for searching, but the most appropriate choice for you is contingent on your personal privacy preferences and online habits.

How do I install DuckDuckGo

Now that you know more about DuckDuckGo Let's get to the actual search engine.

The three ways that you can utilize DuckDuckGo.

  1. DuckDuckGo.com
  2. A browser extension
  3. The application from the company's iOS as well as Android apps are accessible on both platforms.

Here are the steps for using each choice below.

DuckDuckGo Browser Extension

Google Chrome

  1. Follow the hyperlink below for a direct link to the Chrome store.
  2. Click "Add to Chrome" on the right-hand edge of the screen.
  3. Select "Add Extension" whenever you are asked.
  4. Wait for Chrome to install DuckDuckGo.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click this link for Mozilla Add-Ons.
  2. Select "Download Firefox and get the extension."
  3. Click "Confirm" when you are prompted.
  4. It is necessary to wait for Mozilla Firefox to download DuckDuckGo.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Use this link for access to Microsoft Stores. Microsoft stores..
  2. "Get" Click "Get."
  3. Click "Add Extension" when you are asked to do so.
  4. Wait for Microsoft Edge to install DuckDuckGo.

 Opera

  1. Follow this link to go to the online store where you can purchase Opera Add-Ons.
  2. "Download Now "Download now."
  3. Confirm your download.
  4. It is necessary to wait until Opera for installation DuckDuckGo.

Safari

  1. Use this link to access to access the Mac App Store.
  2. Click "Get the App."
  3. Confirm your download.
  4. You must wait until Safari for download DuckDuckGo.

 Internet Explorer

This extension of DuckDuckGo isn't yet made available to Internet Explorer. If you'd like to use DuckDuckGo with Internet Explorer, you can configure DuckDuckGo to be your default search engine via:

  1. It is possible to visit "DuckDuckGo.com"
  2. Clicking "Make this my default search option."
  3. "Add" by clicking "Add"

DuckDuckGo.com

If you're a novice to DuckDuckGo, then you may consider trying the search engine prior to downloading it.

Search engine found on the site " duckduckgo.com." After that, use DuckDuckGo just like every other search engine.

Like you can see in the following image, DuckDuckGo doesn't mark your results of a search using numbers. Instead, it offers an option of seeing "More search results" or to enable infinite scrolling.

The DuckDuckGo "Settings" panel, showing options for appearance and general settings.
You can alter the DuckDuckGo settings to create more personalized.

It is also possible to alter your preferences for search on the upper right-hand corner of your page.

Its search engine, DuckDuckGo, also comes with an option for searching known as "Bang!". Bang searches let you find a specific domain in a short time. The most common type of search is the formula "! (shortcut): (search term)", where the "shortcut" is a reference to the web site.

  • "!gimg:" -- is used to carry out Google images searches
  • "!nf:" -- is used to indicate Netflix results from searches.
  • "!giphy:" -- used for Giphy results from searches.
  • "!hulu:" -- utilized for Hulu Searches

DuckDuckGo Mobile Apps

DuckDuckGo currently has two mobile apps that work on iOS devices. There is also one that is available for Android.

To download for the iOS device, all you need to:

  1. Visit the Apple App Store.
  2. Find "DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser."
  3. The app will take a moment to download.

In order to download the Android app, you simply have to

  1. Go to Google Play to access Google Play store.
  2. Find "DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser" (or click here).
  3. Select "Install" after which you must confirm the installation.
  4. Wait for the app to download.

After you've downloaded the app after which you can begin surfing or follow our prior steps to make DuckDuckGo the primary search engine for your.

Summary

The DuckDuckGo application is a great Google, Bing, and Yahoo alternative for anybody seeking to use the Internet with confidence.

The top DuckDuckGo attributes are its ad blocking browser extension, untracked browsing, Burn Bar, Tor exit enclave, and the privacy level.

Do you have any other things you love in DuckDuckGo? We'd love to hear about it in the comments!

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