wp-plugin-hostgator
domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init
action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home4/scienrds/scienceandnerds/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114ol-scrapes
domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init
action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home4/scienrds/scienceandnerds/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114Source: https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2022\/8\/5\/23292280\/duckduckgo-microsoft-third-party-ad-tracker-script-blocking<\/a> After a revelation in May that DuckDuckGo\u2019s (DDG) privacy-focused web browser allows Microsoft tracking scripts<\/a> on third-party websites, the company now says<\/a> it will start blocking those too. DuckDuckGo\u2019s browser had third-party tracker loading protection by default<\/a> that already blocked scripts embedded on websites from Facebook, Google, and others, but until now Microsoft\u2019s scripts from the Bing and LinkedIn domains (but not its third-party cookies) had a pass.<\/p>\n A security researcher named Zach Edwards pointed out the exclusion<\/a> that he apparently uncovered while auditing the browser\u2019s privacy claims, and noted it is especially curious because Microsoft is the partner that delivers ads in DDG\u2019s search engine (while promising not to use that data to create a monitored profile of users to target ads, instead relying on context to decide which ones it should show). <\/p>\n DuckDuckGo CEO Gabe Weinberg said at the time that the reason for it was a search syndication agreement<\/a> with Microsoft, and that more updates<\/a> on third-party tracker preventions were coming. A backlash ensued, with some seizing on DuckDuckGo\u2019s own words that \u201ctracking is tracking,\u201d a phrase the company used against Google\u2019s cookie-replacing \u201cprivacy sandbox\u201d ad technology.<\/p>\n Now Weinberg writes in a blog post<\/a>, \u201cI\u2019ve heard from a number of users and understand that we didn\u2019t meet their expectations around one of our browser\u2019s web tracking protections.\u201d DuckDuckGo is vowing to be more transparent about what trackers its browser and extensions are protecting users from, making its tracker blocklists available<\/a> and offering users more information on how its tracking protections with a new help page<\/a>.<\/p>\n In an email to The Verge<\/em>, the company\u2019s VP of communications Kamyl Bazbaz said most Microsoft scripts were already being blocked the browser\u2019s other protections, claiming \u201cwe ran a test to see how much more blocking is happening as result of this new update and based on the top 1,000 websites, we found the increase was only 0.25%.\u201d<\/p>\n One thing it won\u2019t block by default after the changes roll out this week, is scripts for bat.bing.com<\/a> that load directly after a user clicks on one of DDG\u2019s search ads, which it says are used on advertisers\u2019 sites to measure ad effectiveness. But the blog post says DuckDuckGo third-party tracker loading protection will block Microsoft\u2019s scripts \u201cin all other contexts.\u201d According to Weinberg, users have the option to avoid this by disabling ads in the DuckDuckGo search settings. DuckDuckGo says that, like some other companies, it\u2019s working on non-profiling tech to replace the scripts, but that isn\u2019t ready to go yet.<\/p>\n DuckDuckGo\u2019s criticism continues to focus on Google\u2019s advertising profiles and all the data they tend to scoop up from its various products, and justifiably so \u2014 looking at Google parent company Alphabet\u2019s $257 billion revenue haul in 2021<\/a>, most of it came from advertising.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s also more than enough reason to keep an eye on Microsoft\u2019s advertising efforts as well. Beyond its deal to back Netflix\u2019s ad-supported streaming service<\/a>, it also makes billions of dollars<\/a> from internet advertising. and has built a cross-platform capable ad-tech giant of its own<\/a> that can reach over 1 billion people<\/a>. If DuckDuckGo promises its users get more overall protection than in other browsers, it will have to keep proving it, and additional transparency can only help.<\/p>\n Update 8:25AM ET:<\/strong><\/em> Updated to note bat.bing.com scripts are allowed to load directly after clicking an ad, but not in other cases.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/br><\/code><\/p>\n