A general-purpose internet search engine with a focus on user privacy and experience, founded by the company CEO, Gabriel Weinberg. HQ is located in Valley Forge, PA. The company business plan is to allow users to find the most relevant information related to their search topic, faster, and without all the “garbage” of search result pages found in other search engines. The search engine also does not track its users, thereby respecting their search privacy. Despite its dedication to user privacy, OAN claimed that, through cookies and targeted advertising, the search engine may be tracking users after all, contrary to its claims and despite its innovations.
It is also important to keep in mind that DuckDuckGo is not, and can not be, a complete privacy solution. For example, the service still knows its user’s IP addresses and browser fingerprints, ISPs can see what websites their users are connecting with, and to some extent, determine what they are doing. It is best to consider this, and any privacy-centric search engine, as one of several parts to securing one’s privacy online.1 In 2022, DuckDuckGo announced that it will be “down-ranking” sites associated with “disinformation,” along with adding “information boxes” to “highlight quality information.” The announcement received widespread backlash from DuckDuckGo supporters, who view the changes as adopting the censorship policies of the Masters of the Universe.2
DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg tweeted about the decision, stating that it was an effort to reduce Russian disinformation online. “Like so many others I am sickened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the gigantic humanitarian crisis it continues to create. #StandWithUkraine️,” Weinberg stated, adding: “At DuckDuckGo, we’ve been rolling out search updates that down-rank sites associated with Russian disinformation.”2
Weinberg goes on to say that DuckDuckGo will also be placing news modules and information boxes at the top of certain search results to highlight “quality information for rapidly unfolding topics.” This was a method used by many search engines and social media sites during the coronavirus pandemic to push official government narratives and information — that regularly changed drastically — to internet users.2
