Communications of the ACM
'Privacy Doesn't Matter,' Screams the Microsoft Deal with DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo, the self-styled “Internet privacy company” which, for years, has built a brand around a claim of non-tracking Web search and, more recently, launched its own ‘private’ browser with built-in tracker blocking, has found i
Credit: IndustryWired
DuckDuckGo's reputation for privacy protection has suffered as a result of revelations about a tracking agreement with Microsoft. DuckDuckGo mobile browsers allow some Microsoft sites to circumvent its tracker ban. While the browser blocks Facebook and Google trackers, DuckDuckGo allows some Microsoft trackers. Scientists discovered that the browsers permit data to be sent to Microsoft's LinkedIn and Bing domains.
You can capture data within the DuckDuckGo so-called private browser on a website like Facebook's workplace.com and see that DDG does NOT stop data flow to Microsoft's Linkedin domains or their Bing advertising domains. DuckDuckGo, the exemption is due to a search agreement with Microsoft. DuckDuckGo CEO and founder, Gabriel Weinberg, responded in detail to the uproar on Twitter and Reddit.
They block most third-party trackers for non-search tracker blocking (for example, in our browser). Unfortunately, our Microsoft search syndication agreement limits our ability to do more with Microsoft-owned properties. However, we have been consistently pushing and expect to do so shortly. The company has also updated its App Store description to include a note about tracker blocking.
From IndustryWired
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