DuckDuckGo Android app to get security tool to block user tracking

With App Tracking Protection feature, DuckDuckGo is doing what Google should have implemented in Android phones long time ago.

DuckDuckGo is one of the most reliable browsers that truly respects the privacy of users. Now, it is slated to bring a critical security feature that will further their cause of the user-privacy principle.
The new App Tracking Protection for Android blocks third-party apps from tracking users on DuckDuckGo. It has become a practice among apps particularly those developed by big tech firms such as Google and Facebook, who track user behaviour, location, and other personal details not only on their own apps but also on other applications installed on the device, to develop a profile of the user and flood them targeted ads.

Earlier this year in April, Apple put an end to such practices on iPhones by introducing the App Tracking Transparency feature that gives the power to the device owners to block apps from tracking and storing user details permanently.

Similarly, DuckDuckGo is trying the same by blocking companies from prying on users on any search platform and even other activities on the phone.

For instance, the in-built App Tracking Protection mechanism will automatically stop third-party apps from tracking what keywords are people typing on the DuckDuckGo browser.

Also, it knows when Android apps are about to send data to third-party tracking companies found in DuckDuckGo's app tracker dataset, and block those requests.

As per the internal study, DuckDuckGo detected most of the popular free apps have an understanding with Google and Facebook. It said 87 percent of these apps send user data to Google, while 68 percent of them send data to Facebook.

"Directly from the DuckDuckGo app, you can see a real-time view of App Tracking Protection blocking trackers as well as which tracking networks they tried to send data to. If you have notifications on, you’ll also get automatic summaries," the company said.

DuckDuckGo's App Tracking Protection feature screen-grab

For now, DuckDuckGo's App Tracking Protection is in the testing phase and the public can check out the feature and send feedback by enrolling in beta testing.

Here's how to enroll in the App Tracking Protection beta testing:
Step 1: Download DuckDuckGo for Android (or update to the latest version).
Step 2: Open Settings > App Tracking Protection (in the Privacy section).
Step 3: Click “Join the Private Waitlist.”

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