Phase 1: A new DuckDuckGo tool?

Part of the Application Tracking Protection Policy is to prevent data tracking from non-application-related applications that have permission to collect user data. For example, when you sign up for a new credit card or download an app for the first time, the app usually tracks information such as your login history, real-time location, and data sent to its servers. The Tracking Protection Tool Application gives users the ability to choose which tracking applications are required by third parties and which they do not want.

If you want to opt out of non-application tracking, you can do so by going to Settings -> Privacy -> Program Manager -> Manage permissions.

Credit: Gfycat

Phase 2: What is Application Tracking Protection?

Application Tracking Protection is a Chrome browser extension that blocks third-party trackers in all applications on your phone, at all times. The browser extension depends on a few other add-ons, especially Ghostery, which I discuss in detail here. Ghostery blocks trackers from websites, which means they can no longer follow you without using the plugin. Application Tracking Protection prevents mobile applications, which rely on a few different types of tracking of third parties.

This latest update for the first time violates Google's "app security" policy, which aims to create an easy way for developers to incorporate application statistics into their products. Google Play ”is a review process designed to prevent developers from using third-party trackers within their applications.

Phase 3: How does the tool work?

DuckDuckGo states that the tool uses machine learning to identify trackers. Once the tool has been trained with information about how the app works, it will notify you when your browser is being tracked. To make sure the tool works on your Android device, you can have DuckDuckGo to download the test version to your phone.

DuckDuckGo says Application Tracking Protection is a great way to protect yourself from being misled by other trackers. We all know how dangerous third-party trackers can be, especially on our mobile devices. They are usually full of ads, and if we let them play in the background, they can easily follow us across the web.

Credit: groovyPost

Phase 3: Why did DuckDuckGo create this tool?

DuckDuckGo founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg told Wired that he found out how trackers like Google Analytics were able to harvest information from third-party Android apps when he saw his company's ad on a statistical product. The goal of DuckDuckGo is to keep users away from ads and to provide a non-tracking search engine.

As the notes are threaded, this is not the first time that a secret search engine has created a tool that stops trackers in foreign companies. DuckDuckGo rival, Disconnect, has the same tool. But what makes DuckDuckGo application tracking protection different is that it uses user-written rules to access a third-party user tracking app. After that, the tool shows users the login information before opening the app.

The future of the internet and privacy : The move, which follows the pressure to add additional privacy protections to Chrome and Firefox, suggests that consumers want strict security from third-party companies, many of which are caught collecting user data without permission. "With the advent of Android phones, iPhone tracking has become a major problem and there is a great need for user protection software on it," said DuckDuckGo founder Gabriel Weinberg. “We have found that with more and more people using Android phones, there is a great need for apps that allow them to track as little as possible.

Conclusion : The new DuckDuckGo tool is an excellent addition to the Android privacy repository, making it easier for users to block unwanted apps and get a more accurate search result when on a device with limited tracking capabilities.