DuckDuckGo: What happens in search stays in search
Li Jin | October 20, 2022
We’ve been used to searching everything online without even thinking: the medical, financial, and personal issues, most of which should be private. However, on Google, the most popular search engine in the world, searches are tracked, saved, and used for targeting advertisements or something even worse. The Incognito mode that Google provides is not entirely private. It simply deletes information related to your browsing session. Still, it only does that after you end your session by closing all your tabs.
Established in 2008, DuckDuckGo set out with the mission of “privacy protection available to everyone.” It allows for complete anonymous web browsing. This makes it an ideal choice for anyone that hates ads and/or being tracked online. It offers perfect privacy: No data on users’ online searches are collected or stored. No ads targeting users based on their previous searches. No social engineering techniques are used based on users’ searches and other interests. Everyone can be sure of getting the same search results as all other users.
There are several ways DuckDuckGo did to ensure users’ privacy is protected. First, it exposes the major tracking networks tracking you over time and blocks the hidden third-party trackers on websites you visit, including those from Google and Facebook. Second, Searches made through DuckDuckGo also automatically connect to the encrypted versions of websites wherever possible, making it harder for anyone to see what you’re looking at online. Third, DuckDuckGo calculates and shows users a Privacy Grade as a reminder regarding online privacy. Fourth, of course, Search Privately. DuckDuckGo search doesn’t track you. Ever.
As for its down side, some argued that the quality of DuckDuckGo’s search results are not as good as Google. DuckDuckGo offers a more unfiltered version of the internet. Unlike Google constantly updates its search algorithm tailored to its users’ browsing habits. You may find the results that have been penalized or removed by Google because they are dangerous, patently false, or just misinformation designed to confuse people. But DuckDuckGo claims they use algorithms to calculate all the results and filter millions of possible results down to a ranked order. As a search engine, DuckDuckGo doesn’t offer as many services as Google, and as a result, is less convenient. And of course, because DuckDuckGo doesn’t track and profile users, it does not and cannot provide customized searches like Google.
Currently, DuckDuckGo is Ranking #4 of Utilities in the App Store for iPhone. It’s not as popular as the #1 Google and #2 Chrome, which offers built-in features such as Google Maps, Flights, etc. They are integrated with your other Google accounts and products, which can sometimes be rewarding. But DuckDuckGo rates 4.9 in 1.4M Ratings among Utilities in the App Store for iPhone. The users appreciate DuckDuckGo due to the respect for privacy and the heads-up it offers when something underhanded goes down.
DuckDuckGo is essential to people who care about privacy more than convenience. It will likely thrive in its niche market.