Is Duck Duck Go still a privacy search engine?

#1

I have noticed all my searches on Duck Duck Go now want me to use an MSN app, which I have no desire to have anything to do with MSN for obvious reasons as a Linux user. Has anyone else noticed this? Is there a way to block MSN? What are good private search engine alternatives?

https://www.reddit.com/r/duckduckgo/comments/qecg65/duckduckgo_needs_to_stop_using_msncom_rehosted/?rdt=61296

# DuckDuckGo needs to stop using MSN.com re-hosted sites. They’re literally as bad as AMP.
Search Results
](Reddit - Dive into anything)

A while ago, DuckDuckGo started using MSN.com links that basically re-host the website and inject a bunch of trackers. One of the reasons I switched from Google was that DuckDuckGo didn’t have AMP tracking. At least AMP leaves the website design intact.

I have submitted feedback multiple times. This does make me wonder if Microsoft paid DuckDuckGo to use MSN.com links. Another possible cause might be the fact that DuckDuckGo does use some results from Bing?

Considering the fact that DuckDuckGo touts itself as a privacy focused search engine, this feels like a huge let down.

# DuckDuckGo needs to stop using MSN.com re-hosted sites. They’re literally as bad as AMP.

#2

I use DDG as my main search engine. I even have the DDG browser on one phone. I don't see any MSN app references. I even turned off UBO and still see no reference. Can you provide a link you experience it?

#3

I was looking for my states basketball tournament.

Screenshot at 2024-03-17 09-59-01
Screenshot at 2024-03-17 09-59-01877×618 238 KB

These are at the top:

Screenshot at 2024-03-17 09-59-18
Screenshot at 2024-03-17 09-59-181353×666 113 KB

I didn't see the little logo (and it is labeled Milwaukee Journal), which I am guessing is suppose to be their butterfly now not an eagle. So I guess now that I know I can avoid it. It is happening more and more often as their top result.
It was thread on Reddit, which I do not use, so I am not the only one noticing this happening.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/2024-wisconsin-high-school-boys-basketball-tournament-state-finals-live-updates/ar-BB1k0oxK

#4

After some Internet searches I have decided to use gibiru and brave search engines.

1 Like
#5

I used to use Brave-search (which is really good), nowadays back to DuckDuckGo.

Yes, as far as I know DuckDuckGo is still a privacy search engine. That does not mean that the sites you are visiting throug DDG (or any other search engine) are automatically also privacy minded though.

I never encountered a bias towards MSN news so it just might be depending on what you are searching for. I do believe that it has nothing to do with prevalence. It is just that MSN-news has become a very big player on the news market and you will encounter them from time to time (and their crappy tracker loaded sites), just like the other very big news providers (and their crappy tracker loaded sites), regardless which browser you use.

Regarding your link, it's reasonable to assume that MSN has more hits than the local news and are therefore highest ranking. They might even lobbied for an exclusive. MSN has become very big by more or less forcing their MSN crap through windows-browser-users throats.

There are no trackers loaded until you visit MSN hosted pages (or any pages of any other news agency), it has not much to do with DuckDuckGo really.

Best to check things yourself after reading those hints on reddit:
If you want to get a good insight in what kind of crap websites try to force on you and be able to monitor and allow/block which trackers/cookies/scripts/XHR/frames are loaded, you might want to install uMatrix as plugin in your browsers. You don't need to install it from github. You can install it from the extensions "web store" of your browser.

I use uMatrix + uBlacklist (uBlacklist is a search result blocker, works with DDG and google but doesn't work with brave-search though) which I both can recommend.

EDIT: A lot has to do with the fact that DDG is a meta-crawler/anonymizer i.o.w. it uses other search engines behind the scenes like, for instance, Google and Bing, which also explains a lot

2 Likes
#6

In my opinion google is best.

1 Like
#7

That is exactly an opinion. But people that value privacy and don't want targeted ads do not use Google. DuckDuckgo and many others uses Google search by proxy, but without the tracking and targeted ads. Everyone has an opinion, but your opinion has nothing to do with privacy searching.

2 Likes
#8

There are times Google provides good results. But Google also censors some results and prioritize others. And then there is the data harvesting of Google. I will not use Google without using the Google container extension. DDG is my primary search engine.

2 Likes
#9

I used to use it.
Switched to brave search because you can't trust a wolf in sheep clotes.

3 Likes