DuckDuckGo: no we do not use browser fingerprinting

The known αναζήτησης DuckDuckGo αναγκάστηκε να απορρίψει τις κατηγορίες που κυκλοφορήσαν και την θέλουν να χρησιμοποιεί fingerprinting to track its users.

This would be totally contrary to DuckDuckGo's raison d'être that he does not collect personal data from his users. So a category like this could be detrimental to the service. DuckDuckGo

For those who don't know DuckDuckGo (DDG) is a search engines just like Google or Bing.
However, the big difference is that DuckDuckGo promises to protect your privacy. Thus, unlike its rivals, DuckDuckGo "does not collect or share personal information".

DuckDuckGo provides search results based on the words- used, although it displays ads to pay its bills. But the company claims that even the ads it serves are purely based on the keywords that users of the service are searching for.

How did the story begin?

Cue a disaffected user at forum of Whonix discovered that DuckDuckGo uses “ DOMRect API” in the search engine. The user claims to have confirmed this using CanvasBlocker a Firefox addon developed by Korbinian Kapsner.

Canvas could be used for browser fingerprinting, where websites and advertisers collect identifiable information from the browser. So according to the user from DuckDuckGo "they sell data without question".

DuckDuckGo refused the browser fingerprinting, and Brian Stoner, VP of Search, replied to the forum posting, saying:

"Many fingerprint protection extensions adopt a scorched earth approach, preventing any browser API that could be exploited by a malicious user."

The founder and CEO of DDG, Gabe Weinberg, said told TechCrunch that this was a "false positive" result and insisted that DuckDuckGo only use getBoundingClientRect () to "determine browser size and page layout." According to Weinberg, this is the possible culprit.

Let's say that DuckDuckGo is growing in popularity every month. In January 2017, DDG celebrated 10 billion searches since it started in 2008. While in 2018 users of the service alone performed 9 billion searches.

___________________

iGuRu.gr The Best Technology Site in Greecefgns

every publication, directly to your inbox

Join the 2.100 registrants.

Written by giorgos

George still wonders what he's doing here ...

Leave a reply

Your email address is not published. Required fields are mentioned with *

Your message will not be published if:
1. Contains insulting, defamatory, racist, offensive or inappropriate comments.
2. Causes harm to minors.
3. It interferes with the privacy and individual and social rights of other users.
4. Advertises products or services or websites.
5. Contains personal information (address, phone, etc.).