What is DuckDuckGo and why is it blocked in Indonesia?

Jakarta (MidLand) – DuckDuckGo is a search engine application like Google, known for truly protecting the privacy and security of its users. Privacy is a top priority advocated by DuckDuckGo or commonly abbreviated as DDG.

In the United States, DDG is the second most popular search engine after Google. This application, developed by Gabriel Weinberg and the DuckduckGo Inc team since 2008, has grown rapidly since its initial launch.

From 79,000 daily searches in 2010 to 31 million daily searches in June 2019, and continuing to increase to 98.79 million daily searches starting in 2023.

Part of this growth is thanks to the collaboration with navigator the most popular ones, such as Firefox and Safari. DDG also works with Linux and is available on Android and iOS.

This search engine does not use cookiedoes not collect IP addresses and does not require the creation of personal profiles for its users.

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Unlike most other search engines, DuckDuckGo does not apply filters. bubbleso that the search results users get are the same as those of other users, without adjustments based on search history or personal preferences.

DuckDuckGo is committed to protecting user privacy despite growing privacy concerns in line. Their mission is to set new standards in terms of trust in lineas reported on the official website.

Unfortunately, however, this search engine is blocked in Indonesia because it is considered “nest” search for pornographic content and gambling in line.

In January 2024, Indonesia announced that it had blocked nearly 600,000 gambling sites in line and took action against 5,000 bank accounts involved in the portal.

The government has previously blocked a number of sites that contain pornographic content, namely Reddit and Vimeo, as well as imposing temporary or partial restrictions on Tumblr, Telegram, TikTok, Netflix and Badoo.

Read also: UK investigates Apple and Google browser dominanceHere are some advantages and disadvantages of DuckDuckGo:

Benefits of DuckDuckGo

1. 
   

   Strong Privacy: DuckDuckGo does not track user searches or collect personal data. This makes it a good choice for those who value privacy.

2. 
   

   Neutral search results: DuckDuckGo does not personalize search results based on previous user data. This ensures neutral and unbiased results.

3. 
   

   Fewer user-based ads: Because it does not track user activity, the ads displayed are not specifically targeted to any particular user, which can reduce the feeling of invasiveness.

4. 
   

   Simple and clean interface: DuckDuckGo’s user interface is simple and uncluttered, making the search experience more focused and efficient.

5. 
   

   “!Bang” Features: DuckDuckGo has a “!bang” feature that allows users to quickly search directly on a specific website, such as Wikipedia or Amazon, by typing “!w” or “!a” followed by a keyword.

Disadvantages of DuckDuckGo

1. 
   Search results are not always accurate: DuckDuckGo’s search results are sometimes not as accurate or comprehensive as Google’s, especially when it comes to local searches or searches with complex context.
2. 
   Lack of additional services: DuckDuckGo does not offer many of the additional services that Google provides, such as Google Maps, Gmail, or Google Drive.
3. 
   Limited customization: Since there is no personalization based on user data, personalization of search results and user experience is also limited.
4. 
   Lack of advanced features: Some advanced features found on Google, like voice search or Google Lens, are not available on DuckDuckGo.
5. 
   Limited ecosystem support: Google has a large ecosystem of well-integrated services, such as Android, YouTube, and others. DuckDuckGo does not have such an ecosystem.

Overall, DuckDuckGo is a good choice for users who value privacy and neutral search results, but it may be a poor fit for those who seek highly accurate search results or require additional services provided by the Google ecosystem and risk access to pornography and gambling. in line.

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Reporter: Raihan Fadilah
Publisher: Suryanto
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