[ DuckDuckGo Privacy Weekly ] For Aug 13, 2020

• The Three Biggest Lies Google and Facebook Spouted About Your Privacy Before Congress [gizmodo.com]
  Privacy washing (verb): A deliberate attempt to invoke privacy to help a brand, but not actually deliver it to consumers.
  Example: Facebook and Google privacy washing in front of Congress.
• Browser privacy: Change these settings now, whether you use Chrome, Safari or Firefox [cnet.com]
  Check out Rae Hodge's tips to fine-tune browser privacy settings.
  Additional tip: Use our browser extension with tracker blocking and site encryption (on mobile it is a full browser app itself).
• Government admits breaking privacy law with NHS test and trace [theguardian.com]
  Privacy must be kept top-of-mind with contact tracing. The UK government failed at this, "ignoring a vital and legally required safety step known as the data protection impact assessment… rolling out test-and-trace without a full assessment of privacy implications."
• DuckDuckGo's Gabriel Weinberg: "Google's privacy washing" [podcasts.apple.com]
  "People really want privacy… but don't realize or think it's possible & generally feel powerless to do anything about it. But the will of the people is there; something is going to happen." Our Founder and CEO, Gabriel Weinberg, and Danny Fortson discuss the future of online privacy.
• Big Tech Needs to Be Regulated. Here Are 4 Ways to Curb Disinformation and Protect Our Privacy [time.com]
  Companies have failed to self-regulate online. Roger McNamee argues, "The future of our democracy, public health, privacy, and competition in our economy depend on thoughtful and comprehensive regulatory intervention."

Our thoughts

Google Search Mobile Market Share Likely to Drop Around 20% through Search Preference Menus [spreadprivacy.com]
Google says search competition is a click away, but that's not true. On Android and elsewhere are many barriers to switching. We conducted new research which shows that if competition is really one click away, Google's mobile market share would immediately drop by 20%. This is the first large-scale live testing of search preference menus in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. With Google's mobile market share above 95%, search preference menus would finally bring some real competition and allow people to easily search privately.

Proudly Private,



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