- DuckDuckGo, the privacy-minded search engine company announced that it starts blocking trackers from Microsoft.
- DuckDuckGo’s mobile browsing apps and browser extensions add Microsoft to the list of third-party tracking scripts blocked from loading on pages, with the company’s beta browser to follow next month.
- DuckDuckGo’s apps and extensions were already blocking scripts from companies like Facebook and Google from loading on third-party websites.
The internet search engine DuckDuckGo announced that it is expanding third-party tracking protection by blocking scripts from Microsoft as well. They will block Microsoft trackers in their browsing apps on iOS and Android as well as in their browser extensions Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. The beta apps will follow in the coming month.
More privacy and transparency
DuckDuckGo is well known for its tightened privacy as an internet search engine to protect searchers’ privacy and prevent the filter bubble of personalized search results. But in late June, it was reported that the company allowed Microsoft’s trackers to operate on its mobile browser while barring Google, and Facebook. This was criticized widely at that time and apparently, the search engine listened to those concerns. DuckDuckGo CEO and founder, Gabriel Weinberg clarified the issue and announced a series of improvements on the company’s website. Gabriel Weinberg, CEO and founder of DuckDuckGo said;
« Recently, I’ve heard from a number of users and understand that we didn’t meet their expectations around one of our browser’s web tracking protections. So today we are announcing more privacy and transparency around DuckDuckGo’s web tracking protections. »
Gabriel Weinberg explained the previous situation with Microsoft as it had a limitation in implementing its third-party tracker protection program on Microsoft’s tracking scripts, due to a policy demand concerning to DuckDuckGo’s use of Bing as a source for search results. However, it is now being solved and this issue is no longer the case. He further clarified that Microsoft scripts were never placed in their search engine or apps, which do not track anyone. Websites place these scripts for their own goals. They never sent any data to DuckDuckGo.
Gabriel Weinberg added that DuckDuckGo was already limiting Microsoft tracking through their other web tracking protections, like blocking Microsoft’s third-party cookies in their browsers. The recent update shows they are stepping ahead to block trackers more than most other browsers.