How secure is DDG for surfing the web, amid claims that they do not track or retain Any of your online activity.?

 

Based on what a lot of tech writers and industry people say then the last part should be true. 

I use them and Startpage as my 2 search engines of choice. 

 

I would suggest that the browser is more an issue for "security" as most use that to access the search engine unless you are talking mobile browsers? 

I've read that DDG is a front end for google: you get the same search results but your IP address etc is not revealed to googleworld. 

Can't comment on the truth of it, but regardless I've been using it for a few years and no complaints.  The results may take an extra second or two to come up, so for some people it would be best to avoid it.

 

 

Been using DDG for quite some time. Advertisements have been greatly reduced. The internet doesn't seem to know me as well as it did in the old google days.
 

1 hour ago, bendejo said:

I've read that DDG is a front end for google: you get the same search results but your IP address etc is not revealed to googleworld. 

The results are different. And, I have to say that they are a bit more limited than with a Google search. 

This may be of interest to you.

 

https://disconnect.me/

23 hours ago, peterg40 said:

How secure is DDG for surfing the web

It's based in US.....

12 hours ago, bendejo said:

I've read that DDG is a front end for google:

I think you may be confusing it with Startpage which works similarly to what you mention.

https://www.startpage.com/en/search/privacy-policy.html

Quote

When you search, your query is automatically stripped of unnecessary metadata including your IP address and other identifying information. We send the anonymized search query to Google and return the search results to you. We don’t log your searches.

 

10 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

The results are different. And, I have to say that they are a bit more limited than with a Google search. 

Agreed.

On 12/1/2019 at 10:02 AM, KhunHeineken said:

This may be of interest to you.

 

https://disconnect.me/

Word

On 12/2/2019 at 6:23 PM, NanLaew said:

Word

?

On 12/1/2019 at 4:31 AM, Curt1591 said:

The results are different. And, I have to say that they are a bit more limited than with a Google search. 

Highly different compared to Google with being logged in.

Google knows "you" and "suggests" what they think suits best for "you".

"You": no need to provide any real data with a Google account.

 

My search for "Beagle":

DuckDuckGo

 

 

Google (first and second "page"):

 

 

Google shows my language and Thai/Thailand related sites.

Also offers German language only.

Not by chance of course.

On 12/1/2019 at 3:00 AM, bendejo said:

I've read that DDG is a front end for google: you get the same search results but your IP address etc is not revealed to googleworld. 

Can't comment on the truth of it, but regardless I've been using it for a few years and no complaints.  The results may take an extra second or two to come up, so for some people it would be best to avoid it.

 

 

it definitely isnt.

 

I tried switching to it but i couldnt find anything when i googled for stuff. Had to go back to google.

 

It's so crappy that when i search "reddit: my question" Which usually has answers to any of my life problems on google, it didnt even link me to reddit itself on the first page most of the time.

It usually would link me to buzzfeed or <deleted>ty things that talk about reddit.

 

 

On 12/1/2019 at 3:00 AM, bendejo said:

I've read that DDG is a front end for google: you get the same search results but your IP address etc is not revealed to googleworld. 

Can't comment on the truth of it, but regardless I've been using it for a few years and no complaints.  The results may take an extra second or two to come up, so for some people it would be best to avoid it.

 

 

The results are very different since DDG don't track users habits. DDG sells only keywords. Google can sell keywords and pinpoint ads views to specific demographic since they collect all users informations. Google search results are much more precise for the same reasons. 

 

I think Startpage is a proxy to Google but DDG is not. 

Any thoughts on this one?

 

https://www.startpage.com/

 

It may be an alternative to DDG.

On 12/13/2019 at 8:05 AM, KhunHeineken said:

Any thoughts on this one?

 

https://www.startpage.com/

 

It may be an alternative to DDG.

A little late to the discussion but apparently StartPage is now owned by an advertising firm which has led to questioning about their privacy claims. Still probably better than using Google if you don't want your life's inquiries stored for eternity.

On 12/8/2019 at 9:40 AM, bearpolar said:

it definitely isnt.

 

I tried switching to it but i couldnt find anything when i googled for stuff. Had to go back to google.

 

It's so crappy that when i search "reddit: my question" Which usually has answers to any of my life problems on google, it didnt even link me to reddit itself on the first page most of the time.

It usually would link me to buzzfeed or <deleted>ty things that talk about reddit.

 

 

 

You were basically using it wrong.  If you wanted to search Reddit on DDG you use !r after the query... not reddit: 

On 12/13/2019 at 8:05 AM, KhunHeineken said:

Any thoughts on this one?

 

https://www.startpage.com/

 

It may be an alternative to DDG.

 

On 12/16/2019 at 1:27 PM, chakeeoyen said:

A little late to the discussion but apparently StartPage is now owned by an advertising firm which has led to questioning about their privacy claims. Still probably better than using Google if you don't want your life's inquiries stored for eternity.

Thanks @chakeeoyen for bringing that to our attention. 

Interesting article on it here with some interesting comments below (but a lot of them!)

https://restoreprivacy.com/startpage-system1-privacy-one-group/

 

Personally I think the jury is still out (on the privacy aspect of Startpage) and will continue to use DDG and Startpage due to the lack of really credible alternatives at the current time.

On 12/16/2019 at 5:27 PM, chakeeoyen said:

A little late to the discussion but apparently StartPage is now owned by an advertising firm which has led to questioning about their privacy claims. Still probably better than using Google if you don't want your life's inquiries stored for eternity.

I didn't know that.  I'll check it out.