DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, has faced criticism for failing to block certain third-party Microsoft trackers in its browser, despite promoting its ability to block hidden online trackers. This discrepancy arose due to a search content agreement between the two companies. However, DuckDuckGo has now confirmed that it is blocking all third-party Microsoft tracking scripts in its privacy browser.
The issue was discovered through the Apple App Store listing for the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser, which stated that the browser’s Tracker Radar automatically blocks hidden third-party trackers, preventing the collection and sale of user data. However, some Microsoft trackers were found to be permitted by the browser, specifically on the Linkedin and Bing domains, while trackers from Google and Facebook were blocked.
In response to the criticism, DuckDuckGo has taken steps to rectify the situation. The company updated its blog post to announce changes in the browser’s web tracking capabilities. The CEO, Gabriel Weinberg, acknowledged user complaints and the browser’s failure to meet expectations regarding web tracking protection. To address these concerns, DuckDuckGo has announced increased privacy and transparency measures, including the launch of a dedicated help page and the sharing of a list of blocked trackers on GitHub.
DuckDuckGo has already begun blocking all third-party Microsoft tracking scripts in its mobile DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser for iOS and Android, as well as in its DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. This is being done through the implementation of the 3rd Party Tracker Loading Protection feature, which targets 21 URLs, including Azure, Bing, Linkedin, and others, for script blocking.
While some Microsoft trackers will still be allowed, this limited allowance is primarily for advertising purposes, as DuckDuckGo relies on Microsoft Advertising for its search engine ads. When users click on advertisements in the DuckDuckGo search, the browser will temporarily allow tracking scripts from bat.bing.com to execute on the advertiser’s site. This enables advertisers to track the performance of their campaigns. However, any other attempts to load trackers from bat.bing.com will be blocked by DuckDuckGo. Microsoft is reportedly supportive of this solution, as it enables DuckDuckGo to enhance user privacy while still allowing Microsoft advertisers to track ad performance.
Nevertheless, DuckDuckGo recognizes that this is not a perfect solution and plans to replace bat.bing.com trackers in the future with private ad conversion implementations being developed by Firefox and Safari.
Regarding its partnership with DuckDuckGo, Microsoft explains that it established this collaboration to better understand the implications of its policies. The company is pleased that a solution has been reached to address concerns raised during this process.