DuckDuckGo Web Tracking Protections

DuckDuckGo is committed to protecting user privacy by offering a suite of web tracking protections beyond what most browsers provide. These protections include 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection, Global Privacy Control, Link Tracking Protection, CNAME Cloaking Protection, and Google AMP Protection. The goal is to evolve continuously against new tracking methods while preserving site functionality. DuckDuckGo's apps and extensions, along with its Tracker Radar and tracker lists, are open source, allowing transparency into their methods.

Unlike most browsers that restrict trackers after they load, DuckDuckGo's 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection aims to stop most third-party tracking requests from loading in the first place. This prevents information like IP addresses and other identifiers from being exposed during the loading process. This protection is effective against common trackers like Google Analytics, though some exceptions are made to maintain essential site functionality. It's supported across all DuckDuckGo apps and extensions, with some platform-specific limitations for service workers.

Third-party cookies are a primary method for cross-site tracking. DuckDuckGo addresses this by first blocking most 3rd-party tracking requests with its loading protection, which prevents these cookies from being set or accessed. Additionally, it automatically blocks 3rd-party cookies from known trackers. Exceptions are made for critical site functionality like sign-ins. This protection is consistently supported across all DuckDuckGo platforms.

While less involved in cross-site tracking than 3rd-party cookies, 1st-party cookies can still facilitate user re-identification and monitoring. DuckDuckGo mitigates this by blocking embedded 3rd-party tracking requests and masked 3rd-party requests through CNAME Cloaking Protection. For unblocked 3rd parties that set 1st-party cookies, an automatic 24-hour expiration is enforced. Other 1st-party cookies set by scripts have a 7-day expiration. Support varies slightly by platform, with some features on the roadmap for Android and Windows apps.

Some 3rd-party trackers use CNAME records to disguise their domains as subdomains of the website being visited, making them appear as 1st parties to evade tracking protections. DuckDuckGo's open-source Tracker Radar identifies these cloaked domains and treats them as proper 3rd parties, enabling the application of 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection and other safeguards. This advanced protection is not a default feature in most popular browsers and is supported across most DuckDuckGo platforms, with some roadmap items for iOS/iPadOS and macOS to expand domain coverage.

Fingerprinting is a technique that combines browser and device information to create a unique identifier for users, bypassing cookie protections. DuckDuckGo protects against this by blocking many fingerprinting scripts from loading via 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection. It also overrides browser APIs used for fingerprinting, returning minimal or alternative information to prevent identification. This feature is widely supported, although platform limitations exist for JavaScript injection in Android WebView iframes.

DuckDuckGo automatically upgrades unencrypted HTTP connections to secure HTTPS for websites identified as fully supporting HTTPS. This protects user data from network onlookers. Unlike some browsers that offer limited HTTPS upgrading, DuckDuckGo's Smarter Encryption covers all clicks and interactions across the web. While desktop extensions upgrade a full list of domains, mobile and Mac apps upgrade a subset covering approximately 90% of search engine clicks due to platform limitations.

Many links contain URL parameters used for tracking user behavior. DuckDuckGo removes these tracking parameters to prevent this type of monitoring, making exceptions only when necessary for site functionality. This protection is not commonly offered by default in other browsers. It is broadly supported across DuckDuckGo apps and extensions, with some limitations on iOS/iPadOS and macOS regarding subsequent redirects, and is on the product roadmap for the Windows app.

The 'referrer header' in web requests can contain metadata that trackers use to identify a user's previous location. DuckDuckGo trims this metadata, reducing it to just the hostname for all 3rd-party requests, to prevent individual tracking. Essential site functions like sign-ins are exceptions. Importantly, DuckDuckGo search terms are never included in the referrer header. While widely supported, it is currently unsupported on Chrome and Edge extensions due to platform limitations, and on Android due to WebView limitations.

Embedded social media content (like Facebook videos, comments, or sign-in buttons) often includes tracking code. DuckDuckGo blocks embedded Facebook content by default to prevent social media companies from associating user information with browsing history. Users can unblock specific content if desired. This protection aims to reduce overall data collection by social media platforms and is planned for expansion to other services like YouTube. It's supported on Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Opera extensions, and the Mac app, with mobile and Windows apps on the product roadmap.

DuckDuckGo also implements specific protections against Google's tracking methods, such as Google AMP Protection. Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), while marketed for speed, can also be used by Google to track users who read those pages.