Google vs DuckDuckGo

[ghost of miles]

So I started using DuckDuckGo recently, after reading and hearing praise of it from some acquaintances centered around its emphasis on protecting privacy and personal information.  That's great, of course, but my experience so far is that DDG is not as effective at leading me to primary links and topics for which I'm searching.  It's not terrible, just generally disappointing enough to frequently send me back to the evil Google overlords.  Any other board members have opinions about these two search engines?  

[mjzee]

42 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

So I started using DuckDuckGo recently, after reading and hearing praise of it from some acquaintances centered around its emphasis on protecting privacy and personal information.  That's great, of course, but my experience so far is that DDG is not as effective at leading me to primary links and topics for which I'm searching.  It's not terrible, just generally disappointing enough to frequently send me back to the evil Google overlords.  Any other board members have opinions about these two search engines?  

I agree with you.  I continue to use DDG because I find Google to be so creepy, but there are times I resort to Google because DDG's results are sometimes obviously mediocre.  Another search engine to try, for similar privacy reasons, is Startpage.

Oh, and on the subject of privacy: Any web page with a "share on Facebook" icon (like below on this Organissimo page) will supply your browsing history here to Facebook.  Facebook compiles a dossier on you even if you're not a Facebook member.  Creepy much?

[Rooster_Ties]

All I know is that love to hear the super serious national NPR ‘sponsorships’ announcer lady say “Duck Duck Go” — in her super serious “NPR sponsorships announcer lady” voice — as many as 4 or 5 times every morning, during Morning Edition. 

[Ken Dryden]

I am a Google stockholder, but I hated my Google andriod phone and got rid of it, while I also quit using Google for web searches several years ago. I don't trust Google with my data and opted for DukcDuckGo.

 

[Dub Modal]

I use DDG periodically, but really your IP address can be traced, tracked, stored, etc. Outside of a good VPN there's really no online privacy. 

[mjzee]

Have y'all heard about Apple's latest upgrade for the iPhone in iOS 15?  It will have "iCloud + Private Relay."  See: https://www.macworld.com/article/348965/icloud-plus-private-relay-safari-vpn-ip-address-encryption-privacy.html, and specifically the section titled "What is iCloud Private Relay?"

[JSngry]

44 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

 Outside of a good VPN there's really no online privacy. 

This.

Plus, DDG gave me piss-poor outcomes one too many time.That duck's goose is cooked, imo.

If you want privacy the way it used to be commonly understood ...this is not the century for you. So...proceed accordingly it both thought, word, and deed.

[medjuck]

I remember McLuhan saying (never seen it in print) that prIvacy was a 19th Century invention: it didn't exist before and hasn't since.