DuckDuckGo Calls Out Google Search for 'Spying' on Users After Privacy Labels Go Live

[BWhaler]

I just wish Duck Duck Go had better results. Google is still the best.

I’d love to dump Google, but every time I try, I go back within days because I need better results.

 

[bigfatipod]

I've been using DDG happily for years, but am still using gmail... I need to find a good way to get off gmail otherwise this is pretty pointless

 

[techpr]

This actually might finally convince me to switch to DuckDuckGo.

Go for it. 4 Years using DDG as the primary search, not looking back!!!

 

[contacos]

I use their browser but the search is absolutely crap so I still use safari to search for things on Google combined with AdGuard Pro

 

[techpr]

I've been using DDG happily for years, but am still using gmail... I need to find a good way to get off gmail otherwise this is pretty pointless

Go ProtonMail.com

 

[WitchDoktor]

Might seem 'scary' on the face of it but Google annoymizes all data. https://policies.google.com/technologies/anonymization?hl=en-US

Personally after the Snowden revelations, I think DDG position quite pointless. Google uses the data to sell ads, and the Goverment already has all your data.

So I might aswell use the best service around, because what exact benefit does DDG give for its 'privacy' claims if Google does not keep personally identifiable information anyways? (and note that it would not make sense for Google to lie and risk lawsuits, when they only care about selling ads anyways)

No need to put the word "scary" in scare-quotes.

Consider this. Google is not just in the business of providing ads. ONE of the businesses they are in is to provide highly targeted ads, which by definition means anonymization-in-name-only.

What's the old saying? if you aren't the customer, you are the product. Well, I *could* use a lot of Google services for free, but that sure doesn't mean Google isn't looking through my cloud drive files, reading my emails, listening to my phone calls, etc etc. I'd rather they didn't. DDG, just like Apple, is leveraging a rather understandable revulsion toward anti-privacy practices. I say more power to them!

 

[cyberddot]

Switched. Brave + DuckDuckGo is my new standard.

Some DDG vs Brave pro/cons can be found here and other places. Worth noting that Brave is Chromium based and defaults to Google for search, but I agree that the DDG browser, or Brave with DDG set for search, along with all the settings tweaks you can manage, HAS to be better than Chrome out of the box.

 

[iamgalt]

What I'm less clear on is what the advantages are of using the DDG browser instead of Safari in iOS?

When you're done using DDG, it erases your history, browsing data, etc., so if someone else gets their hands on your iphone/iPad, you don't have to worry about them seeing your search history.

 

[Mabsport]

DDG for a few years and not had any issues.

 

[ervingv]

meh. lol Like any of this will stop people from using Google's services.

 

[BuffaloTF]

I just wonder if they’re aware they could’ve slid this in earlier and not have had such a spotlight on them... like, an hour after Facebook did theirs would’ve been the best time.

 

[moulderine]

They literally have a whole page of “data linked to you,” including addresses. It’s in the screenshot in the original post. What does “anonymization” mean if they can link all that to you?

You did not click the link because the very first paragraph addresses your question:

"For example, we may use generalization to replace segments of all area codes or phone numbers with the same sequence of numbers."

I hope you examine why you would ask a question, when you wasnt willing to read engage with the other side points. I guess Google must want your data to do something truly evil....which is to sell ads?

Everyone should decide for themselves wether a free service which uses your data to sell targeted ads is a fair trade. I just wish people would be honest about the risks vs rewards and honestly engage on what the trade off is, and not a paranoid version of it.

 

[johnhackworth]

That’s tipped me over the edge - just switched to DuckDuckGo

 

[NoImDirtyDan]

I have a RaspberryPi running PiHole, which blocks most ad and data tracing domains on my lan.

 

[bousozoku]

I'm not surprised. I've been using DuckDuckGo as my search engine for a while, unless it has no results. On iOS, I generally use Firefox because of the privacy controls but I also have DuckDuckGo and Firefox Focus, just in case. Safari and Chrome are there but I rarely use them.

 

[StevieD100]

Google wants to suck you dry of information. They'll do everything that they can to get it, even if it means doing things that they should not be doing. They think that they are so big that they are untouchable. The sooner this is rectified the better.

 

[MacStreamer]

If Apple wanted to be really pure, they'd use Duck Duck Go as their default search engine and stop accepting money from Evil Google, correct?

 

[kanki1985]

So here is what we need:
Search: DuckDuckGo
Browser: Firefox/Safari
Maps: Apple Maps, Here (Not sure of their data collection policy, but good UI and POI info)
Social Media: You really don't need this
Mail: Apple Mail (Other highly secure services are paid)

 

[ghanwani]

DDG is my search engine of choice! If you run a google and DDG search on a "controversial" topic, you will be amazed at the difference in results.

 

[bb9]

Changed over to DDG a long time ago. There are no incentives to use Google, for me.

 

[jetjaguar]

If I use a gmail email address loaded into Apple Mail is IOS do these same privacy concerns apply? Currious how much of this is the Google apps and how much is just accessing thier servers.

I use it like this as well but I am in the process of switching to iCloud with aliases for all my personal email and deleting gmail.

 

[cmaier]

You did not click the link because the very first paragraph addresses your question:

"For example, we may use generalization to replace segments of all area codes or phone numbers with the same sequence of numbers."

I hope you examine why you would ask a question, when you wasnt willing to read engage with the other side points. I guess Google must want your data to do something truly evil....which is to sell ads?

Everyone should decide for themselves wether a free service which uses your data to sell targeted ads is a fair trade. I just wish people would be honest about the risks vs rewards and honestly engage on what the trade off is, and not a paranoid version of it.

There‘s a contradiction there. It says the data collected is personally identifiable. If they ”replace segments” of them, then they are not. So which is it?

Maybe instead of questioning my motives you should confront the fact that google, itself, says it DOES collect a large amount of information that it says, itself, identifies you.

Moreover, I can read. The link you presented says they MAY do x, and they MAY do y, but doesn’t say what they DO. It also doesn’t identify which pieces of data are affected by these techniques. In short, that link, read carefully, doesn’t say ANYTHING about what happens to your data.

 

[Christian 5G]

I wonder if when let’s say you apply for a job at google, will they pull up everything about you at one point

 

[Apple_Robert]

If Apple wanted to be really pure, they'd use Duck Duck Go as their default search engine and stop accepting money from Evil Google, correct?

I agree.

 

[WitchDoktor]

You did not click the link because the very first paragraph addresses your question:

"For example, we may use generalization to replace segments of all area codes or phone numbers with the same sequence of numbers."

I hope you examine why you would ask a question, when you wasnt willing to read engage with the other side points. I guess Google must want your data to do something truly evil....which is to sell ads?

Everyone should decide for themselves wether a free service which uses your data to sell targeted ads is a fair trade. I just wish people would be honest about the risks vs rewards and honestly engage on what the trade off is, and not a paranoid version of it.

Well, consider some of the information Google is collecting:

Contacts
User Content (videos, audio files, photos, etc)
Identifiers (user ID, Device ID)
Usage Data
Financial information (payment info)
Precise location
Diagnostic data (crash reports, etc)
"Other" (WTH that means...)

Seems to me Google is looking for an awful lot of data to simply be selling targeted ads. And yes, they do more than just sell ads. For instance, Alphabet (Google's owner...) is involved in healthcare, private equity, venture capital, urban modeling, R&D, AI, etc, as well as other smaller ventures like Nest (which I used to use until Google took over and decided to "upgrade" the thermostat/smoke detectors without my approval), YouTube (which has a track history of demonetizing all kinds of content providers), home automation (via smart speakers that listen and archive everything being said even without the trigger word), etc.

Honest question: why would Google want to know such comprehensive and exact information (like my address) for the mere purpose of selling an ad? They are collecting more than coarse location data, for instance.

On the other hand, Apple has proven bona fides to me. In a highly public situation where the FBI flat out DEMANDED that they break into a terrorist's iPhone, Apple...couldn't do it. And if DDG is in the same mindset, I'm comfortable with them.