Privacy oriented search engine DuckDuckGo today released an updated version of its browser extension for desktop Safari users running macOS Catalina.

safari duckduckgo privacy extension
The launch comes after DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials had to be removed from the Safari extensions gallery following major changes introduced in Safari 12 that made the extension incompatible. From the DuckDuckGo website:

As you may be aware, major structural changes in Safari 12 meant that we had to remove DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials from the Safari extensions gallery. With Safari 13, new functionality was thankfully added that enabled us to put it back. Consequently, you'll need Safari 13+ on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer to install the updated version.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials blocks hidden third-party trackers on websites and features a Privacy Dashboard, which generates a Privacy Grade rating (A-F) information card whenever a user visits a site. The rating aims to let them see at a glance how protected they are, while providing additional options to dig deeper into the details of blocked tracking attempts.

While the extension doesn't include private search, DuckDuckGo Search is built into Safari as a default search option, and they work together to help users search and browse privately.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials is only available for desktop browsers, however DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser is available for iOS and uses the same privacy protection technology.

Tags: Safari, Apple privacy, DuckDuckGo

Top Rated Comments

Classie Avatar
Classie
21 months ago
DuckDuckGo is still quite a bit behind google when it comes to search results. I still use it as my primary engine, but sometimes have to switch to google...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
Weaselboy
21 months ago

Does the Safari browser extension and/or iOS app block ads, too?
I installed and did a test at cnn.com and it only blocks trackers and not ads.


DuckDuckGo is still quite a bit behind google when it comes to search results. I still use it as my primary engine, but sometimes have to switch to google...
https://www.startpage.com

Same here, but I uses StartPage for when I need Google results. You get Google results without going to the Google web page and being tracked.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
Weaselboy
21 months ago

So these extensions still work like this..?
Yep... exactly. It uses the Safari content blocker API in the background, but you just cannot see what it is doing like how many ads blocked and that sort of thing.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltraInstinct Avatar
UltraInstinct
21 months ago
Is this not a bit suspect..? ?

Attachment Image
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
Weaselboy
21 months ago

Is this not a bit suspect..?
Not at all... any extension that has an end user accessible GUI like this needs access to your data like that to work. You can uncheck the dashboard part of the extension and the extension will still work, but you just won't see the widget up top showing what was blocked.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
Weaselboy
21 months ago

I see, I don't have any extensions so it was a bit of a shock. I see Adblock also says the same thing, how is it not dodgy them having access to passwords and CC details?
It is just not possible to have that GUI without the extension seeing that data. If you don't want them to have the data, just disable the GUI. For example the adblocker Wipr does not have that warning because they have no GUI to see what is blocked. 1Blocker on the other hand does have a GUI, so they do have the warning.

I guess you have to decide if you trust the company to see your data or not, but it is not something they are doing for no reason.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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