What makes you trust DuckDuckGo is OK for privacy?

[CaffeineAddict]

I have many times thinking about whether to use and trust this search engine in hope to dump google.
It seems like one worth trying out.

If you're user of DuckDuckGo (or have been using it) what are your arguments to trust it for privacy reasons?

Please avoid any negative (or thread title contrary) comments because I can find these myself.

 

[Brickwizard]

I have used DDG since it came out, I find it more accurate without the Google bloat and priority advertising, To give an example, a couple of years back my local boozer needed to have some very large canvas parasols repaired, I told them to use one of the local Tarpaulin repairs/manufacturers, and they would re-proof them as well, the landlady did a search for such a company and nothing local came up, in fact she showed me the search on her Lapp and most results had nothing whatsoever to do with the search terms, I got my netbook out FF with DDG, same search and in the first 5 results 2 were within 4 miles, one was 200 yrds away a guy working from his garage workshop, and he was an occasional customer of the boozer.

on security, we all know nothing is 100% safe, but at least they guarantee not to track you

 

[dos2unix]

I don't know that I trust them all that much more. But I do have to say, they do a pretty good job of keeping ads from following me around. That in itself is worth something.

 

[The Duck]

I don't trust any browsers or search engines nowadays seems they've all been busted fibbing about how they don't sell user personal data.

And no I don't have any links to back up what I say but they are out there if you look.

I do use DuckDuckGo as I've used it for years and just like it.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Just run your self hosted Whoogle.

GitHub - benbusby/whoogle-search: A self-hosted, ad-free, privacy-respecting metasearch engine

A self-hosted, ad-free, privacy-respecting metasearch engine - benbusby/whoogle-search

github.com

Get Google search results, but without any ads, JavaScript, AMP links, cookies, or IP address tracking. Easily deployable in one click as a Docker app, and customizable with a single config file. Quick and simple to implement as a primary search engine replacement on both desktop and mobile.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Just run your self hosted Whoogle

That's a very interesting innovation!

I'm curious whether it isn't just another way of doing what uBlock origin and NoScript add-ons do with default google search results.
Probably more than that, didn't read entire readme.md or wikis but it's certainly new thing to me and interesting.

"IP address tracking" prevention sounds cool because browser add-ons don't do this.

 

[f33dm3bits]

I'm curious whether it isn't just another way of doing what uBlock origin and NoScript add-ons do with default google search result

Look under the project features.

"IP address tracking" prevention sounds cool because browser add-ons don't do this.

It uses Tor to cover that, if I am not mistaken.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Look under the project features.

It uses Tor to cover that, if I am not mistaken.

Yeah I see:

***If deployed to a remote server, or configured to send requests through a VPN, Tor, proxy, etc.

This unfortunately means slower searches which I'm not willing to trade

If only it would be developed in some compiled language rather than Python, this also slows down processing a little.
But otherwise it's an interesting project.

 

[f33dm3bits]

This unfortunately means slower searches which I'm not willing to trade

I use it and it works just fine. I still have to experiment with the Tor setting at some point because I just realized I wasn't using that. So I think it does it some other way since using Tor is optional.

 

[f33dm3bits]

So I think it does it some other way since using Tor is optional.

I found it.

[QUESTION] Is there a tool or a way to justify the features are indeed workable? · Issue #142 · benbusby/whoogle-search

Just to prove to someone that the features such as, no IP address tracking or no cookies, etc are working perfectly fine.

github.com

So yes it seems if you don't use Tor or vpn your ip address isn't hidden. So I will definitely do some Tor experimenting one of these days.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

So yes it seems if you don't use Tor or vpn your ip address isn't hidden. So I will definitely do some Tor experimenting one of these days.

I find it much easier to run Tor browser inside a VM, which I'm doing when both security and privacy are paramount.

 

[f33dm3bits]

I find it much easier to run Tor browser inside a VM, which I'm doing when both security and privacy are paramount.

The Tor browser serves a different purpose. I use Whoogle to get good search results on the regular web and to not get tracked with my searches and not to not get junk back in my searches.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I use Whoogle to get good search results on the regular web and to not get tracked with my searches and not to not get junk back in my searches.

For the purpose of IP hiding on "clear web" Tor does it's job, and for tracking protection I think NoScript add-on is good enough if customized.

But reducing returned junk in search results that I agree with, Tor browser extensions don't help with that (except uBlock for ads), if this is so much important then it makes sense to filter them with Whgoogle.

I don't like when Tor defenders say we should not install extensions into Tor because of fingerprinting, which makes clear web search results annoying with ads when using Tor.

In any case I'm not so much bothered about the junk in google search results but rather with privacy, and now also with IP hiding since that was brought up here.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

If I tell you that it's not OK for privacy it will be a negative comment, something you prohibit in the terms and conditions of the original post. So what you want to hear, it's OK go ahead feed them with your data

 

[blunix]

If you're user of DuckDuckGo (or have been using it) what are your arguments to trust it for privacy reasons?

using it over tor xD

 

[CaffeineAddict]

If I tell you that it's not OK for privacy it will be a negative comment, something you prohibit in the terms and conditions of the original post. So what you want to hear, it's OK go ahead feed them with your data

To be totally honest with you, you're right, I shouldn't have limit this thread to positive comments only, so I'll go ahead and undo that in my OP.

Problem with negative comments is that it's easy for them to cancel out any positivity in the thread, making the whole discussion pointless for someone who wishes to know what's good about DuckDuckGo in relation to privacy.

Internet is full of negativity so if one wishes to cancel out anything positive about anything or anyone they can do so anytime they want, but I don't in this case.

Negative comments are IMO fine only if they represent your personal experience rather than what can be found online, ex. claims made by people other than you.

 

[The Duck]

Ya can't have positives without negatives it's just against the laws of electricity.

Negatives can be a good thing as long as the negatives are not condescending.

Negatives show where faults and weaknesses may exist and a user can address possible faults and issues.

I really don't care for Google Chrome and I don't need to explain why.
On the other side Google Chrome is able to do things other browsers can't do.
The Wife thinks Google Chrome is the best browser ever and won't use anything else.
So yes I'm using Google Chrome when I must.

There's positive and negative good feed back so yeah it works together and one can't exist without the other.

Okay my apologies for going off topic.

 

[truckerDave]

I use DDG pretty regularly just because ........
IT'S NOT GOOGLE
But I probably use Brave more than DDG