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0 pointsrvnx2y ago0 comments

If you use Bing: You have "only" Microsoft Bing tracking you

If you use DuckDuckGo: Now, you have "Yahoo Ads" instead of Microsoft Ads, but these ads, they are in fact Microsoft Ads, except sold via Yahoo.

In front of these Yahoo Ads, DuckDuckGo actually adds its own click-through tracker.

Now you have DDG, Yahoo and Microsoft tracking you.

Bonus point if you click on an Amazon affiliate link, because in that case, the Amazon affiliate (DuckDuckGo) knows item-per-item what you purchased.

0 comments

8 comments · 5 top-level

roenxi2y ago· 3 in thread

If you use a search product then someone is going to have your search history and it'll more-than-likely be provided to law enforcement in your country who are the #1 threat to you [0]. It'll also be sent to some sort of data centre for tracking and whatever commercial uses that tracking is good for. I've never understood how that would be a threat, but if you don't like it it comes almost baked in to the business model. You can't stop them sharing data, so they will probably do it for money.

The sell is more that the data MS/DDG has is hopefully going to be siloed away from Google and so it is getting more expensive for an given entity to cross-reference information about you. And if we're lucky competitive pressure will peel DDG away from MS sooner or later if they get larger.

[0] This logic does lead to an argument for a fair chunk of HNs readership to use Yandex, because they are hosted in a country that is effectively at war with the English-speaking world but not presently targeting English speakers.

rustcleaner2y ago

Install Qubes OS,

Create disposable template for the browser with deleted browser dot-folder with no network,

(Optional) create appvm qube (or disposable template + disposable) for ProtonVPN or Mullvad

Create named disposable qube utilising the disposable template for the browser, and either sys-whonix or your VPN qube for network, and enjoy the most anonymous internet you will ever get!

fattegourmet2y ago

your [0] is just silly. If a person is at risk from their state's law enforcement, handing over their search data to yandex just makes it easier for Russia to convert them into spying/sabotage activities through, e.g., extortion.

As you have noted, Russia is at war with the ~English-speaking world~ West, so it is much more likely to use this data against the users than in the past.

roenxi2y ago

But in your example the person involved would rather cooperate with the Russian authorities than turn their data over to local law enforcement. So it clearly makes sense to this hypothetical individual.

Besides, it'd be a struggle for the Russians to even figure out who they are. They'd only have search data. That is powerful but probably not enough in many cases.

Springtime2y ago

There's a setting in DDG to disable ads. I'm aware of the Amazon affiliate link URL addition but since I don't buy anything from Amazon it doesn't concern me personally. Either way everyone can benefit from running a content blocker (I'd be surprised if anyone from this audience wasn't).

Brian_K_White2y ago

that kagi couples plan feeling better and better

dazc2y ago

Good reason not to use amazon then.

sharpshadow2y ago

This makes sense, I was sceptical with the fast pace DDG had in the search market.

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