Anonymous Search Engine DuckDuckGo

Anonymous Search Engine DuckDuckGo

In this chapter, I want to tell you about an alternative to Google and Yandex that I recommend you consider. This is DuckDuckGo - an open-source search engine.

The core principle of DuckDuckGo's operation is the refusal to record and store any information about users and to sell user data to advertisers. DuckDuckGo does not store search history, IP addresses (except for server-level logging), user information, and does not use cookies to track further user activity.

Cookies allow tracking your queries and linking them to a single profile, even if you do not log in to the search engine's website. This technology is used by all search engines from Google to Yandex, but not by DuckDuckGo.

However, if you are logged in, most search engines allow you to view your search history in your profile settings. This is used by computer forensic experts; during device examination, they check not only the browser history but also the search query history. For this reason, the emergency data destruction system Panic Button (as of 2021 - the project is closed) deletes the browser history, cookies, and saved passwords upon activation.

However, even using Panic Button will not delete the history on the company's servers. Companies are required to provide search query history by court order, and even deleting data using personal account tools does not remove data from the servers.

DuckDuckGo collects information from various sources and search engines, and also has its own search bot. One of DuckDuckGo's principles is the refusal to use the "filter bubble" - a system where the search engine shows you what it deems necessary based on the information it has about you.

Over the past decade, search algorithms have changed significantly; search engines strive to individualize results as much as possible, taking into account gender, age, interests, region, and even previous queries. DuckDuckGo's principle is to provide access to all information rather than deciding for the user what they need.

The main goal of collecting data about the user is not quality search but showing targeted advertising. Google, Yandex, Yahoo earn money from advertising sales, and more specifically, from your clicks on ads. The more targeted ads are shown to the user, the more likely they are to click on one of them, bringing revenue to the company.