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DuckDuckGo: Difference between revisions

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{{Incomplete}}
{{Incomplete}}
{{ProductCargo
{{ProductCargo
|ReleaseYear=2008
|ReleaseYear=25 September 2008
|InProduction=Yes
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Product
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Browser
|Category=Search Engine
|Logo=DuckDuckGologo.png
|Logo=DuckDuckGo logo.png
|Website=https://duckduckgo.com/
|Website=https://duckduckgo.com/
|Description=Privacy-focused browser
|Description=Privacy-focused search engine
}}DuckDuckGo, founded in 2008 by Gabriel Weinberg, is a minimalistic privacy focused browser.<ref> https://duckduckgo.com/about </ref> Additionally, DuckDuckGo also claims to offer features like encryption and tracker blocking to enhance online security.<ref> https://umatechnology.org/duckduckgo-guide-comprehensive-feature-analysis/</ref>  
}}
 
DuckDuckGo is an American software company focused on online privacy, and was founded in 2008 by Gabriel Weinberg.<ref> https://duckduckgo.com/about ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260221003758/https://duckduckgo.com/about Archived])</ref>    


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
===Freedom===
===Freedom===
Despite its reputation for privacy and freedom, DuckDuckGo has had controversies regarding removed/de-ranked content, raising concerns about the extent of its unrestricted search results.<ref> https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation</ref><ref> https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/</ref>
DuckDuckGo had removed/de-ranked certain content, raising concerns about the extent of its unrestricted search results.<ref> https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251219094650/https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation Archived])</ref><ref> https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260213130023/https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/ Archived])</ref>


===Privacy===
===Privacy===
While it’s user privacy is significantly better than most other mainstream browsers, DuckDuckGo has been involved in controversies in regards to discrimination in blocking trackers.<ref> https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/</ref>
DuckDuckGo has had moments of questionable privacy. Examples of this include the incident where DuckDuckGo browser had specifically allowed Microsoft trackers to continue running, at the expense of user privacy.<ref> https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260108060825/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/ Archived])</ref>


===Business model===
===Business model===
DuckDuckGo primarily generates revenue through keyword-based advertising.<ref> https://umatechnology.org/the-truth-about-duckduckgo-monetization/</ref> In addition to this, DuckDuckGo also earns income from subscription fees paid to access its Privacy Pro feature.<ref> https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/privacy-pro </ref>
DuckDuckGo primarily generates revenue through showing ads in the search results. The advertisements are only indicative of the keywords used in the search.<ref> https://umatechnology.org/the-truth-about-duckduckgo-monetization/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250904213253/https://umatechnology.org/the-truth-about-duckduckgo-monetization/ Archived])</ref> In addition to this, DuckDuckGo also earns income from subscription fees paid to access its Privacy Pro feature.<ref> https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/privacy-pro ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260111074925/https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/privacy-pro Archived])</ref> This subscription sells DuckDuckGo VPN, Personal Information Removal, Identity Theft Restoration, and Advanced AI models.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weinberg |first=Gabriel |date=4 Sep 2025 |title=The DuckDuckGo subscription now includes more advanced AI chat models, along with VPN & more |url=https://spreadprivacy.com/ai-subscription/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |website=spreadprivacy.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260103124138/https://spreadprivacy.com/ai-subscription/ |archive-date=3 Jan 2026}}</ref>


===Market control===
===Market control===
DuckDuckGo is a relatively niche browser in comparison to behemoths in the space such as [[Google]], and to a lesser degree, [[Bing]].<ref> https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220046/duckduckgo-search-engine-market-share-by-region/</ref> However, when compared to other privacy-focused browsers DuckDuckGo fares pretty well against competition.
According to Statista, DuckDuckGo takes up around 2% of the U.S. search engine market. More prevalent search engines such as [[Google]], and to a lesser degree, [[Bing]], take up most of the search engine market.<ref>https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220046/duckduckgo-search-engine-market-share-by-region/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251124230236/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220046/duckduckgo-search-engine-market-share-by-region/ Archived])</ref> However, when compared to other privacy-focused search engines DuckDuckGo is one of the most prevalent.<ref>https://www.cloudwards.net/search-engine-statistics/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250914154000/https://www.cloudwards.net/search-engine-statistics/ Archived])</ref>


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].


===Political Censorship (3/1/2025)===
===Piracy censorship (''2022'')===
 
DuckDuckGo had removed the search results for numerous popular pirate websites, including The Pirate Bay, 1337x, and Fmovies. DuckDuckGo responded that it was not intentional and the source of the issues was with [[Bing]]'s data. The search results for the mentioned website were restored by 19 April 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |title=DuckDuckGo ‘Removes’ Pirate Sites and YouTube-DL from Its Search Results (Updated) |url=https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/ |website=TorrentFreak |date=15 Apr 2022 |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419151120/https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/ |archive-date=19 Apr 2022}}</ref> Many websites that could be considered questionable remained unsearchable, however, raising concerns about smaller search engines' reliance on data from Bing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |title=DuckDuckGo ‘Restores’ Pirate Sites and Points to Bing as Culprit |url=https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-restores-pirate-sites-and-points-to-bing-220419/ |website=TorrentFreak |date=19 Apr 2022 |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419102608/https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-restores-pirate-sites-and-points-to-bing-220419/ |archive-date=19 Apr 2022}}</ref>
:''Main article: [https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation link to the main article]''
DuckDuckGo’s owner announced that the search engine would be de-ranking websites deemed to  spread Russian misinformation.  
 
===Piracy Censorship (4/15/2022)===


:''Main article: [https://torrentfreak.com/duckduckgo-removes-pirate-sites-and-youtube-dl-from-its-search-results-220415/ link to the main article]''
&emsp;''See also: [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]]''
DuckDuckGo has completely removed the search results for numerous popular pirate websites, including The Pirate Bay, 1337x, and Fmovies.


===Tracking Block Bias (5/22/2022)===
===Tracking block bias (''2022'')===
In May 2022, it was discovered that DuckDuckGo's privacy browser allowed Microsoft trackers on third-party websites due to a search syndication agreement with [[Microsoft]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Lawrence |title=DuckDuckGo browser allows Microsoft trackers due to search agreement |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/ |website=Bleeping Computer |date=24 May 2022 |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525123251/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/ |archive-date=25 May 2022}}</ref> However, this changed in August 2022 when DuckDuckGo's contract with Microsoft expired, and Microsoft's tracking was also blocked.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weinberg |first=Gabriel |title=More Privacy and Transparency for DuckDuckGo Web Tracking Protections |url=https://spreadprivacy.com/more-privacy-and-transparency/ |website=Spread Privacy: The Official DuckDuckGo Blog |date=5 Aug 2022 |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805185059/https://spreadprivacy.com/more-privacy-and-transparency/ |archive-date=5 Aug 2022}}</ref>


:''Main article: [https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/duckduckgo-browser-allows-microsoft-trackers-due-to-search-agreement/ link to the main article]''
===Political censorship (''2025'')===
 
DuckDuckGo's owner announced that the search engine would be de-ranking websites deemed to spread Russian misinformation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kan |first=Michael |title=DuckDuckGo to Down-Rank Sites Associated With Russian Disinformation |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation |website=PCMag |date=10 Mar 2022 |access-date=21 Nov 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310194537/https://uk.pcmag.com/software-services/139164/duckduckgo-to-down-rank-sites-associated-with-russian-disinformation |archive-date=10 Mar 2022}}</ref>
DuckDuckGo's privacy browser allows Microsoft trackers on third-party websites due to a search syndication agreement with Microsoft. However, this changed in August when DuckDuckGo’s contract with Microsoft expired, and Microsoft’s tracking was also blocked.


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Bing]]
*[[Brave browser|Brave]]
*[[Google]]
*[[Google]]
*[[Bing]]
*[[Yandex]]
*[[Yandex]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:DuckDuckGo]]
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