this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2025
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DuckDuckGo's Default Settings (infosec.pub)
submitted 3 months ago by UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.world
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I'm curious what everyone thinks about DuckDuckGo's current settings. I have my browser settings set to delete history, cache and cookies on closing. This creates an issue when using duckduckgo as my primary search engine. Their 'default' settings (available right below the searchbar) seem far from privacy focused. AI Chat is on by default and used 'sometimes', as well as 'advertisting' and 'location' settings that are on by default. This requires me to have to change the settings every time I load my browser due to any settings I save being deleted by my browser setup. I don't want to install a duckduckgo extension. How do others deal with this? I know you can 'save anonymously' your settings in the cloud, but I'm not eager to do that.

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[–] MrSoup@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/settings/params/

You can put them in a bookmark or in the browser's search engine url.

[–] UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Great. Thanks for the tip!

[–] anamethatisnt@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

duckduckgo is one of the few search engines that doesn't require javascript to function.
Removes all the fancy stuff and leaves you with search results and nothing else.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 5 points 3 months ago

I admire this too, tho one drawback is that it doesn't include "image" results. (bc it's really html-focused as well as non-js-focused...)

[–] Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I stopped using it when I learned they censor search results. My beliefs aligned with theirs but I don't want a search that's censored. I'm adult enough that I can decide for myself what links I will or won't click on.

[–] RmDebArc_5@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 months ago

Do they censor the results themselves or is it just because they are using a censored index (bing)?

[–] Sop@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 months ago

What kind of results do they censor?

[–] astrsk@fedia.io 5 points 3 months ago

Why not just put an exception for saving ddg cookie so it remembers your settings?

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I use Firefox and I keep disabling the AI crap and it keeps getting reset. 😡

[–] swizzlestick@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 months ago

Give Librewolf a try. It's Firefox without the crap.

Just tune down (or don't) the privacy settings to your level of acceptance. It's very strict by default.

[–] BroBot9000@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Honestly with all this unnecessary ai slop I’m going to switch search engines. Any recommendations?

[–] tyrant@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

I just started using https://leta.mullvad.net/ after another lemming mentioned it. Worth a try for sure.

[–] AkashicOwl@lemmy.world 0 points 3 months ago

I think people hate it because crypto and all, but I use Brave search, to my knowledge (which isn't much) one of the only usable search engine that isn't using Google or Bing.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 4 points 3 months ago

I have my browser settings set to delete history, cache and cookies on closing. This creates an issue when using duckduckgo as my primary search engine.

Firefox has a setting that will let you chose to not delete cookies for a given website. Next to "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed", I have a "Manage Exceptions..." button.

Dunno if not deleting the Duck Duck Go cookie is acceptable to you.