DuckDuckGo Search Engine: Privacy and Accessibility

What Is DuckDuckGo?

DuckDuckGo is a free internet search engine and web browser built around a single core idea: your personal information should stay personal. Founded by Gabriel Weinberg in 2008 and headquartered in Paoli, Pennsylvania, DuckDuckGo has grown from a tiny startup into a search platform handling billions of queries each month. Unlike Google or Bing, DuckDuckGo does not track your searches, build advertising profiles based on your browsing habits, or store your search history. When you search on DuckDuckGo, you see results based on what you typed - not on what an algorithm thinks it knows about you.

The company pulls its search results from over 400 sources, including Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia, and its own web crawler called DuckDuckBot. It also offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera, as well as a standalone private browser available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. DuckDuckGo makes money through contextual advertising - ads based on the keywords in your current search rather than on a detailed personal profile - which means you can use the service for free without becoming the product.

Give It a Try - Search Disabled World for Free with DuckDuckGo

NOTE: Search will open a new window with your results.

Main Content

Why Privacy Matters for Everyone

Most people do not realize just how much data conventional search engines collect. Google, for example, tracks every search you perform, every website you visit through Chrome, and links that data to a profile tied to your identity. That profile is then used to target you with advertising and can potentially be accessed through data breaches, legal subpoenas, or corporate partnerships. For the general public, this means that a casual search about a health condition, financial difficulty, or legal question becomes part of a permanent digital record.

DuckDuckGo takes a fundamentally different approach. The company does not log IP addresses alongside search queries, does not use tracking cookies to follow you around the web, and does not build personal profiles. It also offers features like tracker blocking, which prevents third-party companies such as Google, Facebook, and other advertising networks from monitoring your activity on the websites you visit. For anyone who values keeping their online life private, this approach is a meaningful alternative to the surveillance-heavy model that dominates the internet today.

DuckDuckGo and Seniors

Older adults are among the fastest-growing groups of internet users, yet they are also among the most vulnerable to online threats. Seniors are disproportionately targeted by phishing scams, tech support fraud, and deceptive advertising - all of which rely heavily on the kind of personal data that conventional search engines collect and make available to advertisers. When a search engine tracks that someone has been looking up Medicare information, retirement planning, or health symptoms, that data can end up fueling targeted scam advertisements designed to exploit exactly those concerns.

DuckDuckGo can be a genuinely safer choice for seniors because it removes much of this tracking infrastructure by default. There are no complex privacy settings to configure and no accounts to create. You simply visit the website or download the browser, and the privacy protections are already working. The search interface itself is clean and uncluttered, which can be easier to navigate for users who find the increasingly busy layouts of Google Search overwhelming. DuckDuckGo also blocks most cookie consent pop-ups automatically, eliminating one of the more confusing elements of modern web browsing for people who are not sure what those pop-ups are asking them to agree to.

That said, seniors who have spent years using Google may find the transition unfamiliar. Search results on DuckDuckGo can look and feel slightly different, and the lack of personalized results means that the engine will not automatically prioritize local businesses or previously visited websites the way Google does. For older adults who depend on that kind of tailored experience, the adjustment can take some getting used to.

DuckDuckGo and People with Disabilities

For people living with disabilities, the internet is not a luxury - it is often a lifeline. Online search is how many individuals find healthcare providers, apply for benefits, research assistive technology, connect with support communities, and access government services. The privacy implications of these searches are significant. A person researching disability benefits, mental health treatment, or accessible housing should not have to worry that their search queries are being cataloged, profiled, and sold to data brokers.

DuckDuckGo's privacy-first model is especially relevant here. Medical and disability-related searches are among the most sensitive categories of personal data, and conventional search engines do not treat them any differently from a search for restaurant reviews. DuckDuckGo ensures that a search about wheelchair-accessible apartments or seizure medications is not recorded and later used to serve targeted ads or, worse, sold to insurance companies and employers through the murky data broker industry.

On the accessibility front, DuckDuckGo offers several features that can benefit users with disabilities. The search engine provides an HTML-only version and a lightweight "lite" version of its site, both of which are designed for browsers without JavaScript capabilities. These stripped-down versions load faster, use less bandwidth, and tend to work more reliably with screen readers and other assistive technologies. DuckDuckGo's settings also allow users to adjust the font size, page width, and color theme, which can be helpful for users with low vision, dyslexia, or light sensitivity.

However, DuckDuckGo is not perfect when it comes to accessibility. While the simplified interface is generally easier to navigate, some of the more advanced features - like the "bang" shortcut commands that let you search directly on other websites - require users to memorize specific text-based commands such as !w for Wikipedia or !a for Amazon. This kind of syntax-based interaction can be a barrier for users with cognitive disabilities or those who rely heavily on visual navigation cues. Additionally, while DuckDuckGo's browser extensions and standalone browser inherit some operating system accessibility features, the company has not published a formal accessibility statement or a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), which makes it harder for disability advocates and organizations to evaluate its compliance with standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Pros of Using DuckDuckGo

• Strong default privacy. DuckDuckGo does not track searches, does not build personal profiles, and does not store your search history. Privacy works out of the box without any configuration.
• Tracker blocking built in. The DuckDuckGo browser and browser extensions actively block third-party trackers from companies like Google and Facebook on the websites you visit.
• Clean, simple interface. The search results page is less cluttered than Google's, with fewer ads and no personalized content modules competing for your attention.
• No filter bubble. Because DuckDuckGo does not personalize results based on your history, you are more likely to see a neutral, unbiased set of search results.
• Lightweight versions available. The HTML and lite versions of the search engine are accessible on older hardware, slower internet connections, and devices running assistive technology.
• Free to use. The core search engine, browser extensions, and mobile browser are all completely free. A paid subscription called Privacy Pro adds a VPN, personal information removal, and identity theft restoration for users who want additional protection.
• Bang shortcuts. Power users can search over 13,000 websites directly from the DuckDuckGo search bar using bang commands, saving time and reducing exposure to tracking on intermediate pages.
• Email protection. DuckDuckGo offers a free email forwarding service through @duck.com addresses that strips trackers from incoming emails before forwarding them to your real inbox.

Cons of Using DuckDuckGo

• Search results may feel less tailored. Without personalization, DuckDuckGo cannot automatically prioritize local results or websites you frequently visit, which some users find less convenient than Google.
• Smaller index and fewer integrated services. DuckDuckGo does not have its own mapping service, email platform, or productivity suite. It relies on Apple Maps for map results rather than offering its own comprehensive map tool.
• Image and video search can lag behind. For media-heavy searches, Google and Bing generally return more comprehensive and better-organized image and video results.
• Limited accessibility documentation. DuckDuckGo has not published a formal accessibility conformance report or VPAT, making it difficult for organizations and individuals to assess its compliance with WCAG or Section 508 standards.
• Bang commands require memorization. While powerful, the bang shortcut system is text-based and relies on users remembering or looking up specific command codes, which is not intuitive for everyone.
• Still relies on third-party sources. DuckDuckGo pulls much of its search data from Bing and other sources, which means its results are partly dependent on the quality and policies of those third-party providers.
• Past controversies around tracker blocking. In 2022, a security researcher found that DuckDuckGo's mobile browser was not blocking all Microsoft trackers due to a business agreement. The company has since addressed this issue, but the incident raised questions about transparency.

How to Get Started with DuckDuckGo

Switching to DuckDuckGo is straightforward. The simplest way to try it is to visit duckduckgo.com in any web browser and start searching. No account is needed and no personal information is required. If you want deeper protection, you can install the DuckDuckGo browser extension in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Opera, which adds tracker blocking and privacy grading to your existing browser. For the most comprehensive experience, download the DuckDuckGo Private Browser, which is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. The browser includes all privacy protections by default, along with a built-in password manager, cookie pop-up blocking, and a one-click button to clear all browsing data.

For seniors or users with disabilities who want a simpler experience, the lite version of DuckDuckGo - accessible at duckduckgo.com/lite - offers a stripped-down search interface that loads quickly and works well with screen readers. If you are helping a family member or client switch to DuckDuckGo, the lite version is often the best starting point because it removes visual distractions and focuses entirely on delivering search results in a straightforward list format.

Switch Your Browser Default Search Engine to DDG

Here's how to switch your default search engine to DuckDuckGo in your browser:

Google Chrome: Go to Settings > Search engine, then select DuckDuckGo from the dropdown menu. You can also visit duckduckgo.com and click the three dots in the address bar to set it as your default.

Mozilla Firefox: Go to Settings > Search, and under Default Search Engine, choose DuckDuckGo from the list. Firefox has DuckDuckGo built in as an option, so no extensions are needed.

Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Address bar and search, then select DuckDuckGo from the list. If it's not listed, visit duckduckgo.com first, then return to settings - Edge should detect it and add it as an option.

For all three browsers, you can also install the DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials extension, which automatically sets DuckDuckGo as your default search engine and adds extra privacy features.

The Bigger Picture

DuckDuckGo is focused specifically on providing a private alternative for search and web browsing, and it does that job well. For the general population, it offers a meaningful way to reduce the amount of personal data floating around the internet. For seniors, it removes many of the confusing and potentially dangerous elements of online tracking that make the web feel hostile. For people with disabilities, it provides a more private way to search for sensitive information, along with lightweight interface options that work better with assistive technology - though there is clearly room for the company to do more on formal accessibility compliance.

No search engine is perfect, and DuckDuckGo comes with real trade-offs. But in an era when personal data has become one of the most valuable and exploited commodities on the planet, having a credible, free, privacy-respecting alternative is something that benefits everyone.

Give It a Try — Search Disabled World for Free with DuckDuckGo

NOTE: Search will open a new window with your results.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.