Google lying underneath Duckduckgo?

[Loose rivets]

I 'installed duckduckgo on my PC. I first called it up via Google. Perhaps I shouldn't have done. The question is, even if I start ddg on a clear www address, is there a chance Google is lurking 'underneath'? i.e. is there a need to stop Google being my opening screen in FireFox?

Obviously I would open another folder which does not call the Google hello screen, but them being them, I wondered if they'd be especially interested in my ddg use and somehow be in the background. Oh, my, I'm getting parenoid.

I'm one of those that's not that bothered, but curiosity got the better of me and I'm trying ddg out.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I got the impression that DDG uses Google, but somethings are then anonymous, so the end effect is Google can't add you to it's HiveMind. ;-)

[cavuman1]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you, right? I share your feelings, Loose Rivets, and deplore the intense background tracking which exists on the internet.

My browser of choice is Firefox which I have set to strict tracking protection. Simultaneously, I run Privacy Badger, uBlock Origin, Ghostery, and NoScript; yet when I run a Firefox subroutine called Lightbeam which maps one's internet site visits, I find that I continue to be sought by a plethora of persistent, greedy advertisers/mercenaries. (They place more cookies than a Keebler factory, and I don't mean Viennese Sandwiches!)

My search engine of choice is Startpage.com, which does a decent job of preserving one's anonymity. This program allows one to do a search and receive results via proxy, so Giggle is unable to backtrack an individual's search activity. I believe DDG works in a similar fashion.

By the way, Mr. Benham, I have enjoyed your contributions to this site over the years! (Many of my family still live in Dallas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Texas Republic.) I share your fascination with Science Fiction as well.

- Ed

[rans6andrew]

You might want to investigate Startpage.com. They claim to be the worlds least intrusive browser. They use google to search but do it anonymously. When the results come up you have the option of selecting them directly or, with a slight delay, go to the pages preserving anonymity. You can also set the Startpage as er your startpage and/or homepage in Firefox browser.

Rans6..........

[Loose rivets]

Thanks Ed. The kid's garden looks nice now, and the pool inviting. I used to take the g-kids back home a 6pm and we'd go swimming every evening. Got my little wood framed brick veneer house looking charming, but just could not get medical cover. Such a shame.

Ah, well. Next life I'll see if they'll still accept my ATP. I intend coming back with full memory of the last life.


I removed DDG primarily because it popped up in the right click where let google search for . . . Studying science late into the night, I use that - many layers deep sometimes.

[Bushfiva]

Rivets, DDG's search results come from a bunch of specialist sources. For example, if it thinks you're doing a search on Lego, it will prioritise results from the Lego Stack Exchange. The most general source is Bing. DDF doesn't take anything from Google at the moment.

[Loose rivets]

I'll still give it a go, though I suppose being set in one's ways is an age thing.

[IBMJunkman]

Why do people use start pages? My browser start on a blank page and empty URL line.

[Loose rivets]

Yes, so passionate was I to have that clean page that I spent ages trying to get rid of the new, on Grey background, United Kingdom, and six unwanted things at the bottom. I wanted Google in the middle, and nowt else. I just can't get used to searching in the URL line. Seems unnatural.

I don't know how to make a new tab show the House start page.

[India Four Two]

I’ve been using DDG since it first came out. A feature that I find useful on occasion is that if you put !g in your search string, DDG sends an anonymous request to Google and then returns the Google results to you.