Google Quietly Adds DuckDuckGo to Chrome 73

The latest version of Google’s Chrome web browser now lets you select DuckDuckGo as the default search engine. Previously, doing so required you to install a browser extension.

“We’re glad that Google has recognized the importance of offering consumers a private search option,” DuckDuckGo founder Gabe Weinberg told TechCrunch.

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I’ve not seen a Google announcement about this change, but the addition of  DuckDuckGo—and other pro-privacy search rivals—to Chrome is occurring thanks to a recent reassessment of which search engines are most popular in different locales.

“The default search engine (DSE) list is being refreshed from recently collected data,” a Google engineer noted on GitHub.  “This [change] is focusing first on countries for which a DSE list is already in place.  Existing engine registrations will be kept intact, and only new engines are being added.  The list of engine references for each country is being completely replaced based on new usage statistics, and unreferenced engine registrations are removed.”

TechCrunch, however, suggests that the change—which impacts Chrome in over 60 countries—may have more to do with the increased antitrust scrutiny of Google, especially in Europe.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • jbinaz

    13 March, 2019 - 12:15 pm

    <p>So, being in Chrome, somehow Google will start tracking searches made in Duck Duck Go? Or am I just being overly cynical?</p>

    • epsjrno

      Premium Member
      13 March, 2019 - 3:12 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411908">In reply to jbinaz:</a></em></blockquote><p>Since it's Google, I don't think you're being overly cynical. It's more like just the right level of cynical.</p>

    • crfonseca

      Premium Member
      14 March, 2019 - 1:10 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411908">In reply to jbinaz:</a></em></blockquote><p>Pretty sure they already did…</p>

    • Jackwagon

      Premium Member
      15 March, 2019 - 5:36 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411908">In reply to jbinaz:</a></em></blockquote><p>At minimum, they're likely to be tracking <em>that</em> specific searches are being made in DuckDuckGo, but probably not the results. Some cynicism is probably in order; I leave it to your discretion to determine exactly how much.</p>

  • karlinhigh

    Premium Member
    13 March, 2019 - 1:43 pm

    <p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">…and unreferenced engine registrations are removed.</em></p><p><br></p><p>Hopefully that means they get rid of Ask, AOL, anything-added-by-a-toolbar-or-extension.</p>

  • rm

    13 March, 2019 - 1:52 pm

    <p>Since I use Bing, I can't help but wonder if Bing can be set as DSE also.</p>

    • lethalleigh

      13 March, 2019 - 1:57 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411958">In reply to RM:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes, Bing can also be set as default search engine.</p>

  • fishnet37222

    Premium Member
    13 March, 2019 - 2:24 pm

    <p>Firefox has had DuckDuckGo available as a default search option for a long time. Yet another reason to choose Firefox over Chrome.</p>

  • dontbe evil

    14 March, 2019 - 4:50 am

    <p>try to escape antitrust? too little too late</p>

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