Thinking of using DuckDuckGo as my default browser, any things I should be ware of before

Only slightly related, but FYI, Meta (and Yandex) just got caught using a back door to track web users at levels never before encountered [on Android phones and quite likely Iphone although details are still scant on both].

Short version of the scam: Web sites can't normally identify you through browsing. What Meta did was to call back to their own apps on the same device and gain direct access to the identifying info on your phone through the greater access that apps are allowed (vs. browsers that are supposed to run 'in a sandbox').

Apparently this has been going on since 2024. (Yandex has been doing it since 2017 but "Russian Search Engine", so, go figure :- ) .

Even Google tongue-lashed them for this violation of longstanding web security protocols. Meta's response was to say "Oh, we stopped doing that as soon as we heard of the concerns.". Yeah... they stopped three days ago when it went public - and they knew the rules like everyone else has since 1995. It's like a bank robber saying "Oh, were we not supposed to rob banks? Well, now that we know that, we've stopped." Meta also said Google had a "misunderstanding" as to what they were doing. Uh huh.

Google (chrome) and FIrefox are both taking steps to stop the exploit from the browser side.

Berton said:

I use DuckDuckGo as my default Search extension on Firefox, not seeing any issues. I've been offered their browser but haven't tried it yet.


Aren't Google and Chrome conjoined at the hip?

Then there's Edge.

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Ditto! I haven't tried the browser either.

Logical Ron said:

Thanks for all the replies, I agree and don't trust any browser, I am switching to DuckDuckGo because you can delete all browsing data with one keystroke.
When using Chrome I had to use Ccleaner but Chrome made some updates and now my browsing history is not cleaned when the browser is closed. Ccleaner has to figure out what Chrome changed. So I will use DuckDuckGo and sees what happens.


ON the positive about DDG is Chrome and Firefox made changes so now we can't use Dragon in anything that is open in Chrome. Like this forum for example.... I have to hand type when I used to talk and dragon did the typing.

I can still use Dragon with DDG

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I am speaking to my computer now in order to reply to this post. The windows button plus H allows me to Post using my voice.

Wynona said:

I am speaking to my computer now in order to reply to this post. The windows button plus H allows me to Post using my voice.

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Have you tried it when coughing or bossing the spouse?

Berton said:

Have you tried it when coughing or bossing the spouse?

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No spouse since November 2018 when I lost my best friend and soul mate.

If I make a boo boo, I can correct it via my keyboard.

I'm pretty good at it through experimentation. During my journey with cancer (beat that sucker to death) I lost most of my ability to type, so had to depend on voice typing. Chemo is good for some things, but it caused me to have neuropathy in my hands and feet.

Wynona said:

Chemo is good for some things, but it caused me to have neuropathy in my hands and feet.

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Understood, had Chemo in '19 and feet always feel as if socks are too tight. Hands are more affected by arthritis.

PC Mag reviewed it a couple of weeks ago and gave it a favorable review.

I use FFox portable.

DDG also has a good browser extension which blocks a lot. I don't use Edge so I am not bothered if DDG has an agreement. DDG uses Bing but anonymously. I use Brave as a browser but all filtering is disabled on this forum.

Why worry about tracking? The whole damn planet tracks you! Who cares. Just keep goin about your business.

DDG browser does not allow extensions.

pseymour said:

If you're signed in to Google while using Google search, it's even worse, in terms of privacy.

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Which is why I never sign in to Google, unless it's necessary to complete some task.

I get my Gmail (secondary account) using Outlook Classic.

Logical Ron said:

e Dragon in anything that is open in Chrome. Like this forum for example....

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Dragon = speech to text???