Are you thinking of changing your search engine but can’t decide on one? Well, possibly among your options among DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine that is currently succeeding.
While Google is the world’s leading search engine and is used by the majority of users, DuckDuckGo has started to rear its head and lead the way as the most private search engine. After its launch in 2008, this company has gradually been gaining praise for the services it has been incorporating.
And it is that it is no secret that some companies track you on the Internet ( even those that have always denied it ). This is easily verifiable when, for example, you look for a pair of sneakers online and for days afterward you see nothing but advertisements for sneakers.
These trackers and ads can be annoying, and one measure some people have taken to combat them is to use DuckDuckGo.
However, with so many available search engines and their respective browsers to offer, is DuckDuckGo a reliable option?
Stop online trackers from spying on you
Trackers collect data about your interests and behavior on certain websites. Although this data does not identify you, these Internet habits, together with access to your profiles on social networks, are enough to recognize you, according to a study by Princeton and Stanford universities.
Well, DuckDuckGo identifies and blocks these online trackers from sites like Google or Facebook, for example (now also Microsoft). The search engine can also show you who has tracked you over time so that you are aware of how your data is being used.
fire button
DuckDuckGo ‘s most notable feature is its fire button, which clears all open tabs of your data and deletes all cookies and history in one click. Thus, every time you use the search engine, it will appear that you are doing it for the first time, without a trace of your previous activity or data.
There are three types of custom animations to choose from when deleting your tabs and data: Inferno, Whirlpool, and Airstream. There is also an option for it to have no effect, although it is rather boring by comparison.
Bang Shortcuts
DuckDuckGo offers a quick way to search with its Bangs shortcuts. These are shortcuts that allow you to skip using the search engine altogether. Each bang represents a website, and when you use one, you’re searching for that website directly.
For example, if you want to search for a concept, you would type! followed by your inquiry. If you add the bang, you will be taken directly to the Google results, which saves you the step of visiting Google and typing it directly in the search bar.
Fewer ads, more freedom
If you search through Google, you may see ads in the first search results. When you search for something on DuckDuckGo, you will see fewer ads in the results.
Also, because DuckDuckGo blocks online trackers, ads won’t follow you wherever you go, as they usually do, which is certainly a huge advantage.