I use a search engine called Qwant.com.
That also promises not to track.
Third party cookies and tracking everywhere should be made illegal. Of course if someone uses a search engine to look for, say, Paris vacation, it is reasonable to show them ads about Paris sights, restaurants and hotels.
This is no different to buying a printed magazine about surfing and seeing ads about resorts and surfboards.
There is plenty of money to be made from serving these ads that there is no need to follow a user once they have left the website. Except for added profit.
4
When I need to find something on the net, I "Duck it up" instead of "Google it."
As for Chrome, it's worthless.
4
My experience with both DDG and Google is that (a) the first time you search for something, the quality of the two search engines is comparable; (b) if you search for similar items then Google will take you back to sites you have used a lot in the past (because they track you!) while DDG gives you a new and clean search.
So, for example, if you like TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews, then Google will take you there immediately--- on the other hand, you can go there directly yourself without inviting Google along for dinner. That's why DDG is my default search engine.
11
I sometimes use the Duck,unfortunately the results are not as relevant and on Safari there can be problems with the page rendering.
I use duck duck go for privacy, but there is some sacrifice of quality in the searches when compared to Google. Alas.
1
Both my husband and I use DDG. I refused to use Google or gmail and had been using Yahoo. Once Verizon bought Yahoo I looked at my options and settle on DDG. Took awhile for my husband, an academic, to switch but now we are both use DDG and are pleased with the switch. I don’t like being bombarded with ads, I don’t want to be tracked and I like to make up my own mind about what data is more relevant to me.
11
I've used DDG off and on for a year now. I am left feeling that I do marginally more clicking to get to the info I want, and it is slightly slower, and it's predictive text is not as helpful or amusing as google's. But apart from that, I'm happy. Only about 1% of my queries are about 'buying stuff' though. I strongly favor, and have the time, to support bricks and mortar for all my consumption, which may make me atypical.
8
I have used DDG for years simply because of my belief that we, as citizens, avoid a 1984 world by rejecting the behavior of outfits like Google and Facebook, it's just that simple.
15
But, have the search results been ... "Curated"?
1
We’ve been using DDG for years. On purpose, I dug into Google’s account settings and ferreted out every possible privacy concern, setting it to the max in my favor. Then and only then did I compare the two. It comes down to simple efficiency. With Google there’s lots of white space and a *huge* clump of ads top and bottom of each small screen’s worth of results, necessitating frequent scrolling. With DDG there’s admittedly a couple “sponsored results” (ads) on each list of results, plus a link to “images”, but continuous scroll to an eventual prompt for “more results”. Far more efficient. Period.
7
I've used 'the duck' for almost as long as it's been around (in fact, any time I leave a comment relating to privacy, I always mention to people they must use it, if they actually value their privacy).
In this age when most don't understand how much they're giving away simply by joining any website, is frightening (something else I recommend; see the documentary Terms and Conditions May Apply. It explains clearly exactly how privacy - and the lack of it - is being removed from these internet companies many think they couldn't live without).
10
I use DDG exclusively as a search engine and the browser on my iPhone. Any way to get away from the prying eyes of Google is fine with me. If DDG only had email.
5
I have never noticed that searches by DDG were any different from Google results. Maybe they are and I'm not discriminating enough to notice - or care. So I'm confused as to why the "experience" is any different from Google. Maybe some small percent of super-users have different standards. Firefox Focus works fine, too. I think Google is more of a habit than a superior product. However, I have found that Bing is terrible. It rarely gives me what I'm looking for in the top results, sometimes not even on the first page. I would use Tor except it's so very slow.
"Most people don’t, the company said, because the data collection makes online services better and hasn’t led to big problems."
No, it's because they make it extraordinarily difficult to opt out, for all practical purposes impossible. And I don't believe the blahblahblahblahblahblah like "The data we collect makes our product more helpful for people in a variety of ways, such as improving our understanding of queries and combating threats like spam and fraud.” Please, let me make my own decisions as to what is in my interest. I'm perfectly capable of that, thank you very much. Now, Google, respect my wishes to be left alone.
10
I use Go Duck Go on my iPhones , iPad, as a search option, as well as on my iMac computers. That option is built in under Search.
It works just fine on all of them.
10
DDG provides much better natural search without results being scewed by Google ads results which also grants higher "natural" placement to companies that pay them in pay per click. Google is a lousy place to get the best search results. They have sold out their values to the highest bidders. Shame on Google and what is has become - just another ugly monopolist playing their advantage for all its worth.
In the meantime, great little companies with limited budgets are destroyed because of Googles monolithic hegemony. This has been well documented. The NYT should expose Google for the destructive monopolist it has become.
13
The words is 'skewed'. It's really simple to check ones's work beforehand.
2
Creepiness update:
Never deleted Google Search on my laptop. Today’s Google Doodle looks like birthday candles. I hovered over it because I wondered whose birthday it was. It said, Happy Birthday, ———- (called me by my first name).
It is my birthday.
My dentist texted me.
A pharmacy I seldom use robocalled me.
B/C emailed me.
If my Roku box starts singing Happy Birthday, I’m pulling the plug on the lot of them.
(Submitted via my iPhone. What, no birthday greetings from Tim Cook?)
13
@itsmildeyes -- Not until you get the iPhone X.
2
@itsmildeyes
Is Google knowing your birthday and your name (both of which seem like very basic information) really that surprising or creepy to you? Tons of companies will send you emails with coupons and e-cards on your birthday (Starbucks famously give out free coffee on one's birthday). Why is it especially creepy for Google to wish you a happy birthday?
@Alex
Creepy because they are a search engine and not a vendor, professional, or individual one does business with. There really is no reason for them to have that information. They, like Facebook, are monetizing your data (personal information) without your tacit approval.
5
DDG provides much better natural search without results being scewed by Google ads results which also grants higher "natural" placement to companies that pay them in pay per click. Google is a lousy place to get the best search results. They have sold out their values to the highest bidders. Shame on Google and what is has become - just another ugly monopolist playing their advantage for all its worth.
3
Brave web browser is what I use. It's based on Chromium just like Google Chrome is, but has built in adblocker and tracker blocking. Plus it's very fast! I only use Google Chrome when absolutely necessary, which is not often.
Used DDG for years, and search results are just fine. But I've slso used the Opera browser since Version 1, and I can't understand why it always gets left out of articles like this one. Comes (free of course) with built-in ad blocking and VPN and has the tiny "Opera Touch" works great on phones.
7
@Dave
Opera is my default browser. I find updating Opera in Windows to be peculiar, and there are videos Opera won't play in both Linux and Windows that force me to switch to Chrome in order to watch. One needs to be patient with the developers.
1
@Michael Jennings Another Opera user! I've been one since the days of paying for it to get actual, like really, customer service. And no ads.
As you note, they never seem to get it 100% right. Certain things don't show up that do in other browsers. Recently, for example, ratings on a product. Why use Opera then? Other features that I really like.
And it bloats memory less than Firefox. But they all do; closing and reopening my browsers is part of daily life.
2
Okay, another plug for DDG. I use it and find it simple to do so. Why give your life away to a corporation that siphons up every move you make? Would you do that in real life? Would you invite a stranger to stay with you as you move through your day recording everyone you greeted and every store or gas station you used? I don't think so, but google is invisible while it stalks you so out of sight, out of mind.
Folks, it's your life. Claim it.
14
Keep fighting the good fight DDG. I've been using it for about 2-3 years with Firefox. I try not to use Google 98% of the time when I can. It's been my default search engine on my Windows laptop and Safari. Happy with it.
10
I’ve used DuckDuckGo exclusively for years. The results work fine - and I search results are central to my work. I only use Chrome when I must (one application for my job).
I must admit I am puzzled as to why the “switch” is so difficult...change the default search engine in your browser’s preferences and it’s done.
24
It’s difficult because google gives the best results.
2
@JimH
It depends on what you define as "best".
If you use Google as people used the Yellow Pages or the telephone book, then yes it gives the "best" results.
If you use Google as people used encyclopedias, then no it no longer gives the "best" result.
7
@JimH No, I don't think google does give as good results. They have too much focus on recency. Google used to be better and still has the good reputation it earned back then, but it's not really as good as duckduckgo, in my opinion.
6
I've used DuckDuckGo for several years, on all my browsers. If I wonder whether the results were sufficient I can always fire up Chrome and let Larry Page and Sergey Brin make money on me.
I try to not use the Google offshoots such as Gmail although there are times when that is impossible.
12
I wish we had more tech entrepreneurs like Mr. Weinberg who persist in the face of overwhelming odds. The System is ranged against him and yet his company survives. I use DDG and hope it thrives.
16
DuckDuckGo is great, and I've been using it for several years now. I only use Chrome when I have to, and I've made sure Firefox and Safari have DDG as the search engine on all my devices. Finding it much harder to ditch gmail, though. Any suggestions?
8
@Merrill
I've been using tutanota for a secure email address. It has a calendar feature if that's something you need.
1
@merrill I use the paid version of ProtonMail. Yes, the paid version. Your mail provider has to remain solvent somehow. You can pay them directly, or you can let them monetize you. I'm not comfortable with the latter, so I chose the former. Let what you wish to share with Google guide your decision.
4
I have been using DuckDuckGo for the longest time now. I love not seeing ridiculous ads about sneakers I browsed on a website three days ago. However I hope they come out with their own browser. Having to use my phone because I still see google ads with the browser extension is not the experience I look forward to when I want to use the web.
7
I've been using DDG on Firefox for a long time now. I don't see ever changing that. Thank you, Gabriel Weinberg!
16
It is easy to compare the two search engines side by side if you have two devices. I switched years ago and have not looked back. It is easy, cleaner and I no longer am besieged with ads and suggestions. I still keep a tight rein on history and cookies. Duck Duck has done a much better job with limiting location identification. That cuts down on roaming price cuts by Amazon vendors and Home Depot. Those feel a bit creepy. I guess I like to keep my business and whereabouts under my control as much as I can. I do know that Google has long arms. That doesn't mean it is futile to push them to reach further in order to dip into my space.
12
I have been using DuckDuckGo for 4 or 5 yrs now. It usually returns search results that meet my needs. About 20% of the time I use google when DDG seems lacking. So hey, 80% less personal information about me for google to snarf up.
And oh by the way what ever happened to "do no EVIL". I wonder if google execs have DDG-ed the word evil recently?
10
Which browser should we use because Chrome still logs in results if we search via DDG?
1
Firefox or Safari
13
@christinawhat about opera?
3
@AA Firefox or Opera
2
I'm using a PC, with a firefox browser and DDG as my search engine.
I squandered hundreds of dollars on a Samsung Galaxy S9 phone, packed with spyware from google, yahoo, samsung, and other vendors.
Shame on me for not educating myself before I bought this useless contraption sitting by my side.
Shame on congress and our chief executives for letting us get to this point
12
@Bill
As a fellow fossil, I too am sticking with a PC, looking at EOL for W7sp1 January 14, 2020. No smartphone.
1
There’s no such thing as privacy on the internet. Less intrusion from the bottom dwellers, yes, but privacy—please! Wake up! You know that game to guess the famous actor in seven questions or less? Well, they can do it with you too and you’re just a barnacle on the side of a ship!
2
@William Perrigo
So taking control over the things that you still do have some control over is pointless? Too many Americans are starting to feel that way about government and politics too.
2
Switched to DDG 8 months and will never go back to Google, i.e., Big Brother personified.
9
I've been using Duck Duck Go exclusively for at least five years now, and I love it. It's an excellent search engine, and it doesn't track me. That's an unbeatable combination. Thank you, Gabe Weinberg. for creating a terrific product that keeps my private life private.
15
O.K. two more rants about Google's creepiness and I'll stop flaming....
1. Don't be misled by Google's disingenuous protestation that they "don't sell your data." This is technically true (They sell access, to targeted populations, to advertisers based on exquisitely fine-grained personal profiles). Although not selling your data, it would be fair to say that they rent access to your data without actually losing control of their gold (data) mine.
2. As has been noted numerous times, below, if you aren't paying for a service or product then you ARE the product. The reason I repeat this is that throughout this great nation our schools are handing access to our student's data to Google and, thereby, our school systems are turning our own children into products. Google: The pied-piper ...
21
Re your point #2, this is why DDG has ads. But they've shown it is possible to survive from advertising revenue without being so creepy and exploitative.
3
I use DDG for most searches. In the event that I need a more precise query, I may switch to Google or Bing. However, I have noticed that my Google profile has diminished over time.
8
Been using DDG for years. Excellent product. And when I see ads, which is rare, they clearly aren't targeting me.
You can easily set all your browsers to use DDG as default. Better yet, if you're on Windows, replace Chrome with Firefox and then add the DDG Privacy Essentials extension.
19
Although many may not know this, Google maintains a "shadow profile" for all internet users that aren't even holders of a Google "account." So my question is this: Has Google provided any way for non-account holders to delete this shadow profile?
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think a non-Google account holder, such as myself, has any way of controlling this profile.
14
Facebook does the same. We need regulations to protect the privacy of users AND non users.
14
@Anna
Isn't that as tight as getting out of Facebook? Has there been any evidence that they are deleting your information once you "leave" Facebook?
2
Just wanted to say that I too have been a daily DDG user for as long as it has been around. I have to use Google (just add !g in front of your DDG search query) perhaps once a month (?); it’s so rare that I don’t remember the last time I did. You can always send feedback (button on the bottom right) when DDG returns poor search results to help improve it.
16
I like DuckDuckGo's search results. They're pretty comparable to Google's on 90% of searches. (Upon switching, I realized most searches are just being too lazy to type in the entire URL.) If you want to deep dive, Google is better. And the Google Image Search is leagues better. But you don't have to navigate away from DuckDuckGo to use Google. Just type in !g with your search terms and it will use Google.
14
@Dottie Sure, DDG will use Google but then, despite the exclamation point, Google does track you.
1
duckduckgo, or DDG as its aficionados term it, does a great job for 90% of a user's searching needs. For the truly esoteric searchs, it is as easy as prefacing one's search with a '!g' term for google, or '!gm' for google maps, or '!gi' for images, etc, etc.
Using it this way is still better than nothing and ultimately, will help encourage google alternatives.
9
@ian /Way/ better than nothing; the page links in Google's search results don't go directly to the target web site, but via Google, so they can see which link you clicked. Google search via DDG replaces those poisoned links with the real, direct links to the sites you want.
13
@ian I have been an off-and-on user of DDG through the years (back on again) and had no idea of the !g preface. So using the !g preface lets DDG search Google, but as soon as you click on a link, Google still tracks you? I suppose the upside here is you do not have to physically call up Google if you need to.
1
New DDG-er here.
I like it. Almost as much as I dislike many of the policies you get when you use Google.
DuckDuckGo's biggest problem is that its not Google: people have been so conditioned, so thoroughly habitualized to Google they think anything different is, well, too different.
Give DDG a week or so, folks. You'll be happy you did.
24
I use DDG because, among other things, it doesn't fill the first Results page with paid links like Google.
19
Google is a bad habit. It was always a marketing ploy for the rubes.
3
Been using DuckDuckGo for a few years and love it. Once in a while I’ll use G to double check my search results. DDG is my default search engine in iOS and it performs very well.
When I began using DDG I noticed my junk mail folder got much less clogged as time went on, I’m down to 5-10 spam emails per day now.
The ads which pop up in my digital NYT no longer relate to anything for which I’ve recently searched in DDG but seem to be tied to my Amazon searches.
I’ve shared my online experience with friends and family and tout its privacy features. If more of us began using less intrusive apps perhaps the behemoth rulers of the web would get the message. We can’t expect our congress to act in the interest of privacy since most of them are attached to the money hose from the internet giants. Whatever happened to our government of, by, and for the People? We sure seem to be governed by the largest contributors of the last election cycles.
Europe appears to have a much better grip on regulating privacy on the web.
Please use and support this worthy search engine and other apps which are advocates for personal privacy.
20
@Michijim
"... seem to be tied to my Amazon searches."
"If more of us began using less intrusive apps perhaps the behemoth rulers of the web would get the message."
You are aware that Amazon is on par with Google and Facebook when it comes to data collection, correct...?
8
@MichijimIf you are getting five to ten spam messages per day, you should fire your ISP. I get five or six spam messages per year! I use Google regularly and browse with Firefox, with suitable settings. Google thinks it knows where I live, but it's 50 miles out. I don't touch Fakebook and other social media. Advertising? What's that?
2
@Frank. Yes I am and I find it irritating. Was using it as an example for others. Thanks for the input.
1
Yep, DuckDuckGo is good, it works, and it’s worth using.
9
Duckduckgo.com has become more important to me as I learn more about it. I get angry when my searches are recorded and milked for profit or for any other reason. Duckduckgo may be flawed but it's better than a blatant vacuum cleaner of my searches and a cornucopia of my data sold immediately to anybody who will pay a few pennies.
6
I use DDG, but more often than not find myself doing a secod search on Google. DDG's results simply are not as comprehensive as Google's, and, more often than not, are irrelevant to my query.
2
@JoanP
DDG has been my default search engine for many years, but, for me, it fails to provide meaningful search results about 1/3 of the time. I keep hoping DDG will improve.
I use DDG as much as possible, but living outside the continental United States, I find that the results it brings back tend to be less relevant than Google. It would be good if DDG catered to more global users.
2
@Ronin
They appear to be less relevant because unlike Google, DDG does not use your tracking location, browsing history, email and so on to more "accurately" guess what you're interested in. It's the "price" you pay for not being stalked.
If you want restaurants in Instanbul, of course you have to specify the location. How else would they know that you're actually in Instanbul, if you don't tell them?
User expectation is a huge problem. You want your electronic devices to provide accurate guesses to what you want, but you don't want any of your data mined and analyzed.
How are those diametrically opposed things supposed to be reconciled by any company?
If you value being that predictable and want your devices to read your intentions, why not go back to Google? Clearly DDG is not meant for you.
8
I’ve used DDG several times, but always reverted back to Google. Being based in Australia, the results were not infrequently weird, heavily skewed towards the US. For example, searching for local Indian restaurants required adding in the Sydney suburb, as well as the word ‘Sydney’, to get similar results to Google.
1
There’s also Qwant which I’ve used for several years.
2
I have used DuckDuckGo as my exclusive search engine for years, and am very happy with it. Privacy is *key*.
8
@Steve
Same here. I don't care if results aren't exactly equivalent to Google; DDG gives me what I need.
3
@Steve I too don't care what result I get using DDG. For too long I've pawned my privacy and would like to get it back.
4
Sad to say, but using DuckDuckGo isn't really preserving anyone's privacy. If you have email, use facebook, or Amazon or a newspaper, you're being tracked. And they're doing it across devices. They don't need Google to do it. Its good that Google has competition. But using DuckDuckGo isn't going to lkeep anyone from tracking you without your permission.
4
@anae
DDG isn't just about preserving people's search privacy.
It's about neutral search that is not biased what you searched for before, or what people in your area have searched for before.
This is vital and crucial for getting unbiased information, such as health information.
Have you tried searching for say, the daily recommended dose of calcium? You don't get an official government or legitimate university website.
You get health blogs, lifestyle blogs and Youtube videos talking about calcium as the highlighted/first hits. That is extremely damaging to people who need to know that legit information doesn't come from those sources.
And why is it this way? Because the NIH, CDC and other health agencies don't pay Google as much as Livestrong, Healthline and other non-legit sites.
25
@Viv
The article specifically discusses privacy. It also says DDG is focused on the privacy of its users. It does not mention how DDG orders its results.
You claim about googling for recommended daily calcium intake is just incorrect. A Google search absolutely does give you government sites, links to reputable universities and the NIH. Its all right there - on the very first page. Are you sure you typed your search in correctly? I was a reference librarian for years - and encouraged/taught people how to conduct searches for information. There is a lot you could criticize Google for, but making false claims isn't helping anyone.
2
@Viv
It took me awhile to catch on that Google gives priority to their advertisers. I was investigating the largest corporation in the US that owns nursing homes, shelters, psychiatric hospitals and clinics. With Google, I did not find anything at all until the 22nd page and still did not find the material I located on DDG.
Re Amazon, check out the fight that a small publisher, Melville Books, tried to wage. Their books were rarely included in the "because you bought.." section. Unfortunately, since Amazon bought AbeBooks search service, there is virtually no price difference. I stick to my local shop unless I am looking for something out of print.
A shout out to those who page through the books in the shop, read samples, scan the code and then go to Amazon. Quit messing with the books and wasting the staff's time. Instead, stop by the building that is known as the Public Library.
3
I can't remember the last time I used a search engine other than DDG. I also have an old fashioned flip phone, and minimize my on line presence--no Twitter or other messaging, and use only Firefox for messages. Despite all this, I am confident that a lot of folks track me. But they have to work to do it.
15
I use Firefox with DuckDuckGo. I also have a Firefox feature, Privacy Badger, which is designed to knock out tracking cookies that are not supposed to follow you, such as Google (which seems to drop tracking cookies everywhere), Amazon, Facebook and all of those sites that one has never heard of. I have no idea as to whether this helps with my privacy, but I will continue to search for privacy answers. Go DuckDuckGo!
13
I’ve been using DDG for the past five years or so and it is fantastic.
Like many in the digital age, I finally woke up to the fact that Google is not a good company. I’m embarrassed that my state has given them tax breaks to build their server farms here. With all the billions they have effectively stolen from the collective masses of users, you’d think they could at least afford to pay their taxes. Ha ha!
But! We have a choice now. I’m super happy to know that DuckDuckGo is continuing to provide a search engine that works amazingly well without having to steal and the sell their user’s data AND they are doing this profitably. Bravo!
13
If you use the shortcut "!g" at the beginning of a DuckDuckGo search on Firefox, DuckDuckGo runs an anonymous search for you via their own servers - it seems the best of both worlds. I have been using DDG for a few years on laptop and cell phone, and default use their search box on all my browsers; if I'm not getting something clear or want different results, I go to the google shortcut and look through their results.
I'm sure that the Google / FB / Apple leviathan manages to track us but why make it so easy on them?
14
I switched to ddg within the last year. I don’t like being tracked. I also got tired of Google returning results that the algorithm thinks I might want, rather than what I am trying to find. Back in 2000-2006, Google was a great search engine. But the quest to learn our behavior and sell it to advertisers has reduced Google’s utility as a search engine and turned it into a creepy stalker. DDG isn’t as good as Google once was but it is better than Google today. I did not find it hard to switch.
27
@Sandy YES. In the early 2000s google WAS great. No longer and hasn't been for a long long time.
Duckduckgo is better than google is today; even if I didn't care about privacy (and I do).
Sounds like we lovers of DDG are all congregating here. In addition to the lack of tracking, I nearly always get a wider variety of pertinent hits on the first page than on Google -- that alone is one of the biggest reasons I recommend it to my students and anyone else who will listen.
29
I've been using DuckDuckGo for years and generally find the results better than Google's. DDG searches for information; Google searches for products. There is a difference!
33
I have used DuckDuckGo, Bing and Google. My default is DduckDuckGo - I prefer its privacy and the fewer but more on point search results. If I think I may be missing something I will use Bing or Google but Google is my least favorite. Google searches pick up too many irrelevant results.
12
Because of privacy concerns, I am early adopter, having used DuckDuckGo since 2010 or 11. I am and have been a big fan! My search results have always been relevant, but there are times that I have had to refocus my query. This is a small price to pay for the privacy I gain. With regard to knowing whether search results are better on Google, it has been 8+ years since I have used it, so I am not the best judge. I also remember the days of searching using Lycos, Alta Vista, Yahoo, and the like and before that, the public library with card catalogs and the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. Privacy is far more important to me than immediate search results. My web searches are not someone else's information to sell! My face is not someone's information to sell. My computer fingerprint is not for sale.
29
I loved Alta Vista, once I mastered their search syntax.
I've been using Duck Duck Go for a few years. Do problems at all and I love the privacy!
4
I have been using ddg for a decade. Most of the time it is perfectly adequate. Recently however perhaps because of its growth it does not seem to handle the traffic. But I won’t switch because they are fighting googleiath.
9
Have used Duck for about 8 years. Sometimes I change the question around to get the answer I want, but hey that's part of the fun. Now if only Firefox went back to it's old self and cut the bloat and constant updates I'd be really happy.
8
In my (years of) experience, unless you need a really deep search DuckDuckGo is just as good as Google.
9
I use duckduckgo as my default browser on both my laptop and my phone. I've never felt there was even a hint of a performance deficiency. Do yourself a favor; make it your default!!
8
I have used DuckDuckGo exclusively for years. I don't have any issues finding anything, and I like that I don't suddenly start seeing ads for things I have recently searched for. Google is evil, no matter what their original corporate slogan.
10
I use both DuckDuckGo and Google. Not sure what the author is talking about. Google’s results tend to be more relevant, sure, but, for whatever reason, they also tend to hide pages that counter mainstream media narrative. I’m not talking conspiracy theory—more like the incidents involving Jussie Smollett, Jazmine Barnes, and those Ohio teenagers in DC from January, when left-leaning media collectively abdicated its professional responsibility to critically investigate because it likely meant exposing race hustlers or siding with white males. DDG turned up more seemingly random results, but, unlike Google, it also included important dissenting opinions.
6
More than happy with DDG. Couldn’t take anymore of Google’s “stalker” approach, nor the way search results were displayed when using a public or work IP compared to using a personal IP. Also stopped using social media, other than the accounts that are needed for business purposes, and there are no regrets.
6
I have used the Duck for several years. It cut my junk mail to a few per week. It works well with Safari.
I recommend the Duck app. I am using it now to read is article. I do not get repetitive ads that pop up. I also get a grade for my source. Congrats. NYT. You earned a B.
17
Another search engine goes beyond privacy concerns and into environmental activism. Ecosia uses much of its revenue to support tree-planting projects around the world. These guys really make knowledge bloom!
See: http://bit.ly/2iFb3kY
3
I love the concept but of duck duck go, and I do use it, but I will say that the search results are often terrible compared to Google. I guess this makes sense just given how long Google has been at it and how sophisticated they have become. If only DDG could give results that are closer in relevancy to Google and Bing, then I really don’t think there would be any issues with growing far bigger than they are now. I suspect there are many others out there like me that have embraced DDG and really want to use it exclusively, but they can’t because it’s an inferior search experience (not counting the enhanced privacy of course) to google or bing.
2
I’ve used DuckDuckGo for years, but occasionally when I can’t find something I go to google for a second search.
2
I use DuckDuckGo because of the privacy it offers. But I do prefer the design of the google search results page. Google incorporates more imagery on its results page and I like that. If I don’t find what I need on DuckDuckGo, I switch to google to see if it has better results. Sometimes yes, most of the time no. I hope DuckDuckGo continues to grow and improve, both in style and quality.
4
I'm a huge fan of DuckDuckGo and have found its search results superior to Google. For years, I used DDG as my personal browser but maintained Google as my work browser because I'm a professor/medical researcher, and I assumed Google's work in the academic realm would naturally yield the best results. However, I finally was fed up with Google's ad-targeting antics and switched to DDG at work, too. Suddenly, routine searches at work with DDG were revealing important new results that somehow had previously been obscured by Google. Now, I use only DDG on both personal and work devices and don't ever intend to use Google or Google products again.
Dave
20
Most people don't opt out of Google data collection BECAUSE it offers many settings for that. Just like Facebook, Google makes it unnecessarily complicated (or for savvy surfers, to time-consuming and boring) so that people just don't bother.
If there was one single checkbox next to the search field on Google's homepage (Privacy: Yes / No?), I'm sure many more people would choose privacy.
19
Which, of course, is exactly why there isn't a single checkbox.
1
People are just lazy. I constantly hear about how it's "impossible" to keep one's privacy today. That's 100% false. It's very possible to do, but there's a *tiny* price that goes with it, which most people are not willing to pay. I pay $2/month for a private email account. Apparently, even $2/month is more than most people care about keeping their email private.
I don't use Google, Amazon, or Facebook, either. It's not difficult. I run a business that does 8 figures in sales, I'm a full time student, and I'm an active real estate investor, as well. I do more than most people do, and I do it without giving away all of my data, too. Again, it's not difficult. It just takes a bit more thought than most people are willing to put forth to protect their privacy.
5
@Frank I don’t think it’s laziness. For me at least, it’s confusion about how companies are using my data and what the alternatives are.
I use DDG, the DDG mobile browser, and Privacy Badger, so that’s probably helpful. But when I read a website’s privacy policy, the language rarely gives a good idea of what, precisely, they are collecting and what they will do with it. I’ve no idea who holds what information about me. And I’d happily pay for email if I knew how to get mail forwarded from my gmail without... going through gmail.
I mean, congrats that you’re on top of all this, but it’s not exactly straightforward is it?
4
@Mrs Mopp
A simple rule of thumb that tends to be remarkably accurate that I tell people is: If you're not paying money to use a service, then you're not the customer: YOU are the product.
Paying for email is as easy as finding a company you like, and signing up. Forward your gmail to that new account, and then stop giving out your gmail address. Super simple.
Don't use Facebook, or any Facebook owned companies (ie: Instagram). (the customers of Facebook/Twitter are the advertisers, not you).
Shop locally, and use cash. Credit card companies are some of the worst. (Again, the credit card customers are the merchants who pay the fees, not you).
"Smart" phones are tough. Both of the major players collect 100% of your info on the phones: your calls, your email addresses, your text messages, your location, and maybe even ALL of the audio that comes anywhere near your phone. Personally, I use a Windows Phone with no "apps" on it. If I wasn't running several businesses, I'd just use a flip phone.
It doesn't have to be tough. Just give your interactions a few seconds of thought, and eventually, like anything else, it'll be come second nature. Ask the question, "Who is the customer?" or "Who is making money here and how?". If you're not paying directly to use a service, then you're probably paying with your personal information.
4
I love duckduckgo! I use it for all my searches except when I need a map. No more creepy ads or "suggestions". Now we just need a replacement for gmail. Thank you Gabriel Weinberg!
20
@Ed
Hi Ed, check out Proton Mail for a google alternative. It get's all the job's done I need quite a bit more security and privacy. check it out:
https://protonmail.com/security-details
3
@Ed
Another great replacement for GMail is Startmail.
It makes encryption really easy as well as other great privacy features. (No personal affiliation.) I've been using it for years.
3
I love GoDuckGo! It’s what internet search should be. Yes, they sell advertising, but it’s based on your single search rather than an ever-growing dossier they are building on you. Hopefully, they move into email as well.
It’s also great to see a company that is happy with a nice profit rather than shuttering because it can’t make “enough” money.
58
I've been using Duck Duck Go for years & I'm very happy with the depth and breadth of their search results. I do a lot of searches for my job, and I do double-check some Duck Duck results on Google. Aside from a few highly esoteric searches, Duck Duck does fine. For my personal searches, it's Duck Duck all the way.
I value my privacy, and I want to support companies that respect that.
38
The high quality search results from Duck Duck Go matches if not exceeds Google. After too many years laboring under the false belief that Google was "the one," I am happily surprised and grateful to say that Duck Duck Go has exceeded every expectation. Give it a try and benchmark the search results. You may be surprised yourself!
48
I’ve been using DuckDuckGo for years on Firefox, mainly for privacy reasons, and I systematically recommend it: less awkward coincidences than with Gurggle. So much less
15
I've used DuckDuckGo since I read about it in Dragnet Nation by Julia Angwin back in 2014. I only use Google for a search if I don't get what I need from DuckDuckGo, which is rare. Mr. Weinberg and DuckDuckCo are doing a good thing, and I would like them to stay in business....
69
When I first became aware of DuckDuckGo - maybe three years ago - many of my searches didn't return the best results. These days, the only times I sometimes have to return to Google are when I'm researching little-known writers from southeastern Europe. DuckDuckGo has gotten much more comprehensive and accurate over the years, and people whose hobbies aren't as obscure as mine should do fine with it.
29
@Eddie
My understanding is that the more people use DuckDuckGo the better it gets at providing search results. That's why it's comparable to (and sometimes outshines) Google for popular or better known search terms/subjects but lags for more esoteric ones. This may not be for everyone, but whenever I have the time, I use DuckDuckGo for obscure or lesser known topics and supplement the DuckDuckGo search results with a Google search. It's my itty bitty contribution to help improve DuckDuckGo's search ability. Also, I like to compare DuckDuckGo's progress/improvement against Google.
4
I'm a medical/public health researcher who travels frequently for professional and personal reasons, and I use DuckDuckGo for all my searches that aren't run through professional databases. Entirely for privacy and ethical reasons. The "quality" is just fine for my purposes, and I can't imagine using anything else.
I don't understand why people still use search and other internet services that monetize their activity and don't respect their privacy.
88
I use DuckDuckGo from Microsoft Edge or Firefox for most of my searches. If I cannot get the results I am looking for in the first page, then, I do a Google search. I have been using this strategy successfully and efficiently for almost six months now.
7
~3 months ago, I replaced my default search engine with DuckDuckGo on all my browsers, I've barely noticed a difference, nothing that would compel me to go back to Google. I also made the time-consuming migration off GMail and I'm now just using my icloud.com account, all in the name of privacy. I'll now brace for everyone replying to tell me why Apple is equally problematic.
41
@Scott Baker I also use my icloud account instead of Gmail, mainly due to privacy, but also because of the better spam filters. My understanding is that while Apple may collect information, it is never given or sold to other parties.
12
@Scott Baker
I'll be that person. You could just buy your own email that nobody data mines (Google OR Apple). I pay $2/month for mine. I'd pay much more than that if I had to, as well.
4
@Frank which provider do you use, if I may ask?
I use both duckduckgo and startpage for almost all my searches.
16
I use Enosia, which plants trees with whatever way it gains revenue. Am I doing the right thing here in Hove, Sussex?
3
Me too.
@nathanielpopper - Does Google still log search queries for users of the the DuckDuckGo Chrome Extension?
@Adam Griffith Yes, it's in the article.
2
@Adam Griffith
You can contact the Duck folks to ask them. They do respond.
@Scott Baker - The word "Extension" does not appear in the article.