This post is presented by DuckDuckGo.
The web is a creepy place. No matter what you do or where you go, countless digital eyeballs watch what you do, looking to sell your data.
DuckDuckGo is known as the search engine that doesn’t snoop on its users. Used by security- and privacy-minded people, DuckDuckGo counts some 16 billion anonymous searches since launching in 2008. The world has changed a lot in the last decade, and the web has only grown creepier. So, DuckDuckGo is expanding its services beyond search.
The new version of DuckDuckGo’s mobile app and browser extension features built-in tracker network blocking and upgraded encryption, along with the familiar private search service. These are major revamps designed to bring a seamless layer of protection to searching and browsing alike.
One app to block them all
Online threats really are all over the place. Google trackers are active behind some 76 percent of webpages; Facebook around 24 percent. And those are just the names most people use and recognize. Using a browser’s incognito mode doesn’t cut it, either. In fact, it doesn’t even do what it claims. Private browsing modes often peddle a degree of privacy that they actually don’t provide.
And even though encryption is fast becoming the norm across the web, it’s not universal yet. So having a secure online connection usually means juggling some combination of VPN service, ad blocker, antivirus software and other elements.
The upgrades for DuckDuckGo mean you can get a wide spectrum of protection from a single service. Built-in encryption means that DuckDuckGo can step in when the web page you visit, or browser you use, fail to maintain your privacy. Over time, DuckDuckGo will reveal the sites that track you most. That way, you can adjust your behavior accordingly.
DuckDuckGo upgrades mean see-through security
Photo: DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo’s new Privacy Grade rating proves especially handy. This feature marks sites “A” through “F,” depending on how vulnerable you are if you visit them. DuckDuckGo scores each site automatically, based on the activity of hidden tracker networks, availability of encryption, and general privacy practices. It’s surprising how few earn an “A” rating.
It’s also possible to look deeper into the risks posed by a given site, and what DuckDuckGo is doing in order to boost your security.
Additionally, DuckDuckGo partnered with Terms of Service; Didn’t Read to reveal the privacy project’s scores on website terms of service and privacy policies whenever possible.
DuckDuckGo’s new bundle of services aims to make online privacy and security protections seamless and web-wide. Whether you’re searching or browsing, DuckDuckGo provides a unified front against ads, snoops, malware and other online irritants. And in the spirit of transparency, DuckDuckGo makes all its code available on Github for review.
The new DuckDuckGo is available on all major platforms and browsers: Safari, Chrome, Firefox, iOS and Android. So, whatever device you’re using, one download will bring you up-to-speed. Maybe the best part though, as always, is that DuckDuckGo is free to download and use.
