DuckDuckGo Private Browser
{{Short description|Privacy-oriented web browser}}
{{Infobox software
| name = DuckDuckGo Private Browser
| logo =
| logo_size = 120px
| developer =
| latest release version =
| latest release date =
| ver layout = stacked
| operating system = Android, iOS, macOS, Windows
| engines = Blink (Android, Windows)
WebKit (iOS, macOS)
| license = Freeware (the underlying WebView components provided by the operating systems) though DuckDuckGo's custom code for Android and iOS is shared with an Apache-2.0 license{{ cite web | title=DuckDuckGo Android App Github repository | url=https://github.com/duckduckgo/Android | website=github.com | access-date=19 August 2024 }}{{ cite web | title=DuckDuckGo iOS App Github repository | url=https://github.com/duckduckgo/iOS | website=github.com | access-date=19 August 2024 }}
| website = https://duckduckgo.com/app
}}
DuckDuckGo Private Browser is a web browser created by DuckDuckGo Inc.{{cite web |title=Does DuckDuckGo make a browser? |url=https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/get-duckduckgo/does-duckduckgo-make-a-browser/ |website=duckduckgo.com |access-date=9 March 2024}} It is a privacy-oriented browser available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.{{cite web |title=Download the DuckDuckGo browser app |url=https://duckduckgo.com/app |website=duckduckgo.com |access-date=9 March 2024}}
The core browser functionality is the WebView component provided by the operating system. This means the browser engine is Blink on Android and Windows, and WebKit on iOS and macOS.
Features
- Automatically blocks web trackers, and upgrades insecure HTTP connections to HTTPS when possible.{{cite web |title=Your Connection is Secure with DuckDuckGo Smarter Encryption |url=https://spreadprivacy.com/duckduckgo-smarter-encryption/ |website=Spread Privacy: The Official DuckDuckGo Blog |date=November 19, 2019 |access-date=21 August 2023}}{{cite web |title=HTTPS Everywhere Now Uses DuckDuckGo's Smarter Encryption |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/04/https-everywhere-now-uses-duckduckgos-smarter-encryption |website=EFF: Electronic Frontier Foundation |access-date=21 August 2023}}
- Has a special "Duck Player" that allows users to watch YouTube videos without being targeted with advertisements and tracking cookies.{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=2022-10-18 |title=DuckDuckGo for Mac is now an open beta |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/18/23410430/duckduckgo-browser-for-mac-beta-available-privacy-app |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}
- Has an automatic cookie consent tool and supports the Global Privacy Control option.{{Cite web |title=Stop Trackers Dead: The Best Private Browsers for 2023 |url=https://www.pcmag.com/picks/stop-trackers-dead-the-best-private-browsers |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}
- The Android version has a feature called App Tracking Protection, which when enabled blocks trackers in other Android applications.{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=2022-11-16 |title=DuckDuckGo has opened up its App Tracking Protection beta |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/16/23462053/duckduckgo-app-tracking-tool-beta-android-users |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-18 |title=Introducing DuckDuckGo App Tracking Protection for Android |url=https://spreadprivacy.com/introducing-app-tracking-protection/ |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=Spread Privacy |language=en}}
History
DuckDuckGo Private Browser was first released for Android and iOS in 2018.{{cite web |title=2018 in Review |url=https://spreadprivacy.com/duckduckgo-2018-in-review/ |publisher=DuckDuckGo |access-date=9 March 2024}} Desktop support began in 2022, with the beta version for macOS.{{cite magazine |author1=Matt Burgess |title=DuckDuckGo's Privacy Browser Finally Lands on Desktop |url=https://www.wired.com/story/duckduckgo-browser-mac-app/ |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412120310/https://www.wired.com/story/duckduckgo-browser-mac-app/ |archive-date=12 April 2022 |date=12 April 2022}}{{cite web |author1=Emma Roth |title=DuckDuckGo's privacy-centric browser arrives on Mac |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/12/23021682/duckduckgo-for-mac-desktop-browser-privacy |website=The Verge |access-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412152920/https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/12/23021682/duckduckgo-for-mac-desktop-browser-privacy |archive-date=12 April 2022 |date=12 April 2022}} The beta version for Windows was released in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Purdy |first=Kevin |date=2023-06-22 |title=DuckDuckGo browser beta for Windows bakes in a lot of privacy tools |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/06/duckduckgo-offers-its-privacy-centered-browser-in-a-windows-open-beta/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=David |date=2023-06-22 |title=DuckDuckGo's privacy-focused browser is available for Windows now |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/22/23769084/duckduckgo-browser-windows-download |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}
= Controversies =
In May 2022, an independent researcher discovered that Microsoft products, like Bing and LinkedIn, contained tracking scripts that were not blocked by the browser.{{Cite web |last=Spadafora |first=Anthony |date=2022-05-26 |title=DuckDuckGo browser is not as private as you think — here's why |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/news/duckduckgo-privacy-browser-facing-backlash-over-microsoft-trackers |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Tom's Guide |language=en}} DuckDuckGo's founder and CEO explained the company was "currently contractually restricted by Microsoft" due to their use of Bing's data to power the DuckDuckGo search engine.{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |title=DuckDuckGo: Why our browsers won't block Microsoft trackers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/25/duckduckgo_browser_microsoft_privacy/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=The Register |date=25 May 2022 |language=en}} In August 2022, however, the company announced that they would block Microsoft trackers.{{Cite web |first=Adam |last=Benjamin |title=DuckDuckGo: What to Know About Google Search's Privacy-Focused Rival |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/duckduckgo-what-to-know-about-google-searchs-privacy-focused-rival/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CNET |date=August 24, 2023 |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://duckduckgo.com/app Official homepage]
{{web browsers}}
Category:Cross-platform web browsers
Category:Proprietary cross-platform software