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Is DuckDuckGo Legit? Exploring the Privacy-Focused Search EngineIn a world where digital privacy is a growing concern, DuckDuckGo stands out as a beacon for those who value their personal data. Unlike typical search engines, DuckDuckGo doesn’t track your every move online, offering a refreshing alternative for privacy-conscious users. But is DuckDuckGo legit, and does it live up to its promises of anonymity and security? Let’s delve into this intriguing search engine and see why it’s capturing the attention of savvy internet users worldwide.DuckDuckGo is an independent search engine founded in 2008 by Gabriel Weinberg. Its core philosophy revolves around privacy — your data is yours alone, and DuckDuckGo aims to keep it that way. Unlike giants like Google, DuckDuckGo doesn’t track or store user queries, ensuring a search experience free from targeted ads and personalized search results. This focus has made it the default search engine for Tor, an anonymous browsing network.Privacy Features of DuckDuckGoDuckDuckGo’s primary selling point is its stringent privacy measures. Let’s break down what this means for users:No Data CollectionUnlike other search engines, DuckDuckGo does not collect or store any personal information. This means your search history remains private, and there’s no risk of data breaches exposing your search habits.Secure TransmissionDuckDuckGo uses the POST method for search queries, enhancing security compared to the standard GET method. It also prioritizes HTTPS encryption, ensuring secure data transmission and protecting users from potential eavesdropping.Global Privacy ControlThis feature sends a legally binding request to websites, asking them not to collect or sell user data. It’s a more robust alternative to the standard Do Not Track requests and aligns with DuckDuckGo’s commitment to user privacy.Advantages and Disadvantages of DuckDuckGoUnderstanding the strengths and limitations of DuckDuckGo can help users make informed decisions about their search engine preferences.Pros of DuckDuckGoHTTPS by Default: DuckDuckGo forces

Default search engine list in Chrome 73.[51]Beginning in 2018,[52] the company has offered browser extensions for popular web browsers (Google Chrome, Safari, and others).[6] The company also launched its own web browser, called the DuckDuckGo Private Browser.[7] Both of these products have protections against web tracking and other privacy intrusions for all web browsing (not limited to DuckDuckGo searches).[53] Prior to August 2022, DuckDuckGo Private Browser did not block Microsoft tracking scripts.[54][55][56]2020sIn July 2021, DuckDuckGo introduced its email forwarding feature Email Protection, which lets users claim an "@duck.com" email address generated by the service. That inbox will receive emails and strip them of data trackers before forwarding them to the user's private email address. The feature launched in beta for users of DuckDuckGo Private Browser on iOS and Android.[57]As of March 2022, DuckDuckGo handled 102,704,358 daily searches on average.[58]Also in April, DuckDuckGo said that they would protect users from being tracked by Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages framework, stating: "When you load or share a Google AMP page anywhere from DuckDuckGo apps (iOS/Android/Mac) or extensions (Firefox/Chrome), the original publisher's webpage will be used in place of the Google AMP version".[59]In September 2022, Debian package maintainers switched the default search engine in Chromium to DuckDuckGo for privacy reasons.[60]In April 2024, DuckDuckGo introduced Privacy Pro, a paid subscription that includes a VPN, Personal Information Removal, and Identity Theft Restoration.[61] The subscription launched to users of the DuckDuckGo browser in the United States.PrivacyDuckDuckGo does not track its users.[62][63] DuckDuckGo keeps favicons anonymous.[64] Users' location is never sent to DuckDuckGo servers, even when they allow a third party to collect their geolocations.[65] DuckDuckGo offers limited third-party tracking protection, third-party cookie protection, CNAME cloaking protection, limited device fingerprint protection from third parties, link tracking removal, Google AMP replacement, and do-not-track requests.[66]Search resultsDuckDuckGo's results are a compilation of "over 400" sources according to itself, including Bing, Yahoo! Search BOSS, Wolfram Alpha, Yandex, and its own web crawler (the DuckDuckBot); but none from Google.[67][4][68][69][70] It also uses data from crowdsourced sites such as Wikipedia, to populate knowledge panel boxes to the right of the search results.[69][71]DuckDuckGo offers a Lite version of its search for browsers without JavaScript capabilities.[72]DuckDuckGo has refined the quality of its search engine results by deleting search results for companies they believe are content mills, such as eHow, which publishes 4,000 articles per day produced by paid freelance writers, which Weinberg states to be "low-quality content designed specifically to rank highly in Google's search index". DuckDuckGo also filters pages with substantial advertising.[73] DuckDuckGo down ranks websites deemed to have low journalistic standards.[74]Instant AnswersIn addition to the indexed search results, DuckDuckGo displays relevant results, called instant answers, on top of the search page. These Instant Answers

With Yandex Search.[103] Weinberg said in a tweet that DuckDuckGo will down-rank sites associated with Russian disinformation, a move which some users criticized as censorship and a violation of the search engine's commitment to "unbiased search." DuckDuckGo has defended itself from the criticism, saying that "The primary utility of a search engine is to provide access to accurate information. Disinformation sites that deliberately put out false information to intentionally mislead people directly cut against that utility."[104][105][70]In April 2022, TorrentFreak reported that DuckDuckGo had blocked search results for some major pirating websites, including The Pirate Bay, 1337x and FMovies, as well as video downloading software Youtube-dl.[106][107] In a statement to Engadget, DuckDuckGo said that The Pirate Bay and Youtube-dl were never removed from its search results if the user searched for those websites using their name or web address. DuckDuckGo also said that there were problems with "site:" search queries used for these websites and other searches and said that the problem had been fixed.[107]In May 2022, a report from Bleeping Computer by security researcher Zach Edwards found that DuckDuckGo Private Browser allowed Microsoft's trackers to continue running while visiting non-DuckDuckGo websites, unlike Google and Facebook trackers, which were blocked. In response, Weinberg said that "unfortunately, our Microsoft search syndication agreement prevents us from doing more to Microsoft-owned properties. However, we have been continually pushing and expect to be doing more soon." He also said given that most browsers "don't even attempt" to block third-party scripts from loading, users would still be safer than on other browsers.[54][55] In August 2022, DuckDuckGo began blocking Microsoft's trackers, saying that the policy preventing them from doing so no longer applied.[108][56] Today, DuckDuckGo continues to open articles through MSN, similar to how Google utilizes AMP.In December 2024, DuckDuckGo criticized Google's proposed remedies in an antitrust case related to search engine monopolies. According to DuckDuckGo, the proposal maintains the existing balance of power rather than fostering genuine competition. Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo, stated that the proposed measures "attempt to maintain the status quo" and are insufficient to grant smaller players fair access to markets.[109]Traffic chartIn June 2013, DuckDuckGo indicated that it had seen a significant traffic increase; according to the company's Twitter account, on Monday, June 17, 2013, it had three million daily direct searches. On average during May 2013, it had 1.8 million daily direct searches. Some[110] relate this claim to the exposure of PRISM and to the fact that other programs operated by the National Security Agency (NSA) were leaked by Edward Snowden. Danny Sullivan wrote on Search Engine Land that despite the search engine's growth "it's not grown anywhere near the amount to reflect any substantial or even mildly notable switching by

Search query.[92][93] As of April 2024, DuckDuckGo also makes money from subscription fees paid to access Privacy Pro.DonationsThe company supports charitable organizations that work to improve privacy; in 2021 they donated US$1 million to these causes and had donated $3,650,000 over the previous decade. Major donations for 2021 included $200,000 to the Center for Information Technology Policy, $150,000 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, $75,000 to European Digital Rights (EDRi) and $75,000 to The Markup.[94]Some of DuckDuckGo's source code is free and open-source software hosted at GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License,[95] but the core is proprietary.[96] DuckDuckGo also hosted DuckDuckHack, a sister site for organizing open source contributions and community projects. The search engine's Instant Answers are open source[97] and are maintained on GitHub, where anyone can view the source code. As of August 31, 2017, DuckDuckHack was placed on maintenance mode; as such, only pull requests for bug fixes will be approved.[75][needs update]In a June 2011 article, Harry McCracken of Time commended DuckDuckGo, comparing it to his favorite hamburger restaurant, In-N-Out Burger:It feels a lot like early Google, with a stripped-down home page. Just as In-N-Out doesn't have lattes or Asian salads or sundaes or scrambled eggs, DDG doesn't try to do news or blogs or books or images. There's no auto-completion or instant results. It just offers core Web search—mostly the "ten blue links" approach that's still really useful, no matter what its critics say ... As for the quality, I'm not saying that Weinberg has figured out a way to return more relevant results than Google's mighty search team. But DuckDuckGo ... is really good at bringing back useful sites. It all feels meaty and straightforward and filler-free ...[98] The bare-bones approach cited in his quote has since changed; for instance, DuckDuckGo now has auto-completion, instant results, and a news tab. McCracken included the site in Time's list of "50 Best Websites of 2011."[99]Thom Holwerda, who reviewed the search engine for OSNews, praised its privacy features and shortcuts to site-specific searches as well as criticizing Google for "tracking pretty much everything you do", particularly because of the risk of such information being subject to a U.S. government subpoena.[100] In 2012, in response to accusations that it was a monopoly, Google identified DuckDuckGo as a competitor. Weinberg was reportedly "pleased and entertained" by that acknowledgment.[9]In November 2019, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey revealed his preference for using the DuckDuckGo search engine rather than Google, stating, "I love @DuckDuckGo. My default search engine for a while now. The app is even better!".[101] Conservative political commentators Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino have also endorsed DuckDuckGo.[102]On March 1, 2022, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, DuckDuckGo paused its partnership

#1 I clicked on the elipses in Edge and selected Settings, then selected Advanced. I scrolled down to Address Bar Search, and made Duckduckgo my default browser. Edge still uses bing, even though Duckduckgo remains the default browser. Am I doing this wrong? #2 If you are trying to change your home page, click the three dots in the upper right corner, click "Settings" at the bottom, scroll down and click "View advanced settings", make sure "Show the home button" is set to "On", set the box below it to "A specific page", right-click the box below that, select "Cut", type "duckduckgo.com" into the box and click the "Save" icon next to it.Ben #3 If you are trying to change your home page, click the three dots in the upper right corner, click "Settings" at the bottom, scroll down and click "View advanced settings", make sure "Show the home button" is set to "On", set the box below it to "A specific page", right-click the box below that, select "Cut", type "duckduckgo.com" into the box and click the "Save" icon next to it.Ben Thanks Ben, I did that but when I open a new tab it still comes up with bing search. I closed edge and re-opened it but still the same. It's beginning to seem like MS don't want Win10 to operate with anything but bing. #4 If you want Edge to start with Duckduckgo, click the three dots, "Settings", change "Start Microsoft Edge with" to "A specific page or pages", type "duckduckgo.com" into the box beneath it, then click the "Save" icon at the right.Ben #5 If you want Edge to start with Duckduckgo, click the three dots, "Settings", change "Start Microsoft Edge with" to "A specific page or pages", type "duckduckgo.com" into the box beneath it, then click the "Save" icon at the right.Ben I think I've been getting a little confused Ben... if I type my search string into the URL line at the top of the browser page then it searches with ddg, but the page shown below it (with a box for the search