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DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

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Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#211

Post by nunobrito »

gdm85 wrote: post #191
nunobrito wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a software auditor in Europe (per times consulting the European commission itself), mostly for open source licenses but also for cybersec and privacy matters. This topic with DDG is recurring since years. You cannot verify the infrastructure, it is not hosted on EU-bounded servers and they have been asked for cooperation. Nothing moved as far I follow. With Ecosia you are right. The point is that Ecosia accountab…

Not sure if you are aware of this (I hope it's not on purpose), but your personal website mentioned on your 'About' description contains some questionable content (gambling?) in indonesian language. If I may ask, was it hacked, you lost the domain or you have put that content there on purpose to generate some revenue?

Thanks. Seems my own domain got expired some months ago and then taken over by someone else. It was old, nothing updated in years. I removed from it from the profile box, thank you for letting me know.

In the old days was just used for hosting a blog and some papers to share with others. I guess nowadays having a personal domain becomes increasingly less needed.

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#212

Post by nunobrito »

m00dy wrote: post #167
nunobrito wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a software auditor in Europe (per times consulting the European commission itself), mostly for open source licenses but also for cybersec and privacy matters. This topic with DDG is recurring since years. You cannot verify the infrastructure, it is not hosted on EU-bounded servers and they have been asked for cooperation. Nothing moved as far I follow. With Ecosia you are right. The point is that Ecosia accountab…

What would be the practices for infrastructure review ?

Usually involves talking with someone on the architectural level (Chief Architect, maybe CTO, VP or head of engineering if knowledgeable enough). Then involves onsite visits, questioning about where the data is hosted and factual verification of these claims.

Depending on company size/challenge, you might do some tests on their claims from the outside over the period of 24 months. For example, registering an account and then verifying if that one-time email got leaked into some other service.

Or, on cases of higher-criticality you will have monitoring of what data is coming out from the datacenter where the apps are running.

Direct access to source code reviews is rare. Albeit depending on the level of cooperation it could be a possibibility.

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#213

Post by teekert »

nunobrito wrote: post #211
gdm85 wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure if you are aware of this (I hope it's not on purpose), but your personal website mentioned on your 'About' description contains some questionable content (gambling?) in indonesian language. If I may ask, was it hacked, you lost the domain or you have put that content there on purpose to generate some revenue?

Thanks. Seems my own domain got expired some months ago and then taken over by someone else. It was old, nothing updated in years. I removed from it from the profile box, thank you for letting me know. In the old days was just used for hosting a blog and some papers to share with others. I guess nowadays having a personal domain becomes increasingly less needed.

I'd argue it is increasingly needed, but it depends on your needs/goals ;)

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#214

Post by nunobrito »

DavideNL wrote: post #177
nunobrito wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a software auditor in Europe (per times consulting the European commission itself), mostly for open source licenses but also for cybersec and privacy matters. This topic with DDG is recurring since years. You cannot verify the infrastructure, it is not hosted on EU-bounded servers and they have been asked for cooperation. Nothing moved as far I follow. With Ecosia you are right. The point is that Ecosia accountab…

What do you think about Startpage? And, which European search engine would you recommend?

That one was verified and passed.

While sharing coffee with a colleague years ago, he argued that something smelled odd about them. In is opinion was a front for the CIA or some other sponsored group that harvests data.

Mind you that he provided no facts to support this claim.

I tried to inform myself as much as possible about them, about their technology and people working there. Very scarce info exists. Try it by yourself, then let me know if you do manage to find more info about them.

My only recommendation at the moment is qwant on the european side. Not because of privacy, but mostly to enable diversity of choice on the continent. In case of war or embargo, consequences here would be devastating on the tech-side.

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#215

Post by blululu »

AdamSC1 wrote: post #185
blululu wrote: post #76

Something that doesn't sit well with me about DuckDuckGo is their hidden use of affiliate links to Amazon and eBay. Fundamentally search engines are vulnerable to predatory business models. Privacy is one issue. Providing financially motivated information is another. To my knowledge (would love to hear more), Google is pretty up front about what is an ad and what isn't while DuckDuckGo covertly sells you to Amazon wh…

Hi blululu, You'll notice when you search for an item like "Airpods" the shopping instant answer appears including products from Amazon. The top right of that placement ( https://i.imgur.com/EIpFjVR.png ) you'll see it is noted that this is an ad. These links are eligible for affiliate commission as outlined in our help pages ( https://help.duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/company/ad... ). Even in this situation,…

Fair - I had not noticed the ad labels before. Thanks for the response. Putting the label in the top right corner instead of the bottom left does feel like a bit of a dark pattern. DuckDuckGo's page layout clearly reflects the classic F pattern of visual attention, and the ad label is not very prominent.

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#216

Post by notduncansmith »

jacobush wrote: post #135
notduncansmith wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few months ago I made a conscious point to start saying “web search” instead of “Google”. Same number of syllables, and it has grown more familiar and natural over time. Same with “tissue” instead of “Kleenex”. I tell my coworkers to “just do a web search for $phrase” and it comes out fine. Several of them have switched to DDG, so the term “web search” is more inclusive anyways :)

I like destroying trademarks by verbifying them.

Does that work? I’d imagine it just strengthens their brand until someone takes it to court.

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#217

Post by jacobush »

notduncansmith wrote: post #216
jacobush wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like destroying trademarks by verbifying them.

Does that work? I’d imagine it just strengthens their brand until someone takes it to court.

It worked for aspirin and escalator. [0]

0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericize...

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#218

Post by lucb1e »

AdamSC1 wrote: post #189
lucb1e wrote: post #15

I still feel like Google should participate in the bidding and distribute the resulting money (their own and their competitors') to a charity rather than keeping it as profit. They got a fine for a reason, turning it into a profit scheme is a big middle finger to anyone who cares about monopolies. The question would be how to pick a charity in an unbiased manner, but I guess there are a lot of ways to answer that suc…

Or, simply not try and skirt EU anti-trust regulation by a pay-to-play bidding system. DuckDuckGo tweet thread + link to research on choice screens: https://twitter.com/DuckDuckGo/status/1215307399978016774

How would you decide whom to put on your selection screen? Isn't that the excuse they're giving?

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#219

Post by KingMachiavelli »

kerkeslager wrote: post #73

The past tense of DuckDuckGo is DuckDuckWent, as in "I DuckDuckWent my name and discovered my high school yearbook has been digitized."

Am I the only one that using 'quack'/'quacked' as my verbs for using DDG?

Re: DuckDuckGo Is Now a Default Search Engine Option on Android in the EU

#220

Post by notduncansmith »

jacobush wrote: post #217
notduncansmith wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does that work? I’d imagine it just strengthens their brand until someone takes it to court.

It worked for aspirin and escalator. [0] 0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericize...

Thanks for that list - very informative! I never knew about many of these.
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