Users who want to consume content from YouTube without seeing ads or subscribing to the platform Googlenow they have a new alternative. DuckDuckGo has incorporated into its browser a function capable of block most ads on YouTube when accessed via the web. The system eliminates both the advertising that appears before starting playback like the one that interrupts videos and is available for free at Android, iOS, Mac and Windows.
The function is found enabled by default in the latest versions of the browser for iPhone, Mac and Windows. On Android it will be enabled by default later, although it can now be activated manually from Settings > Ad blocking.
First a search engine and then a privacy-focused browser
The name DuckDuckGo may not be familiar, although it has been with us for many years and is known by those who value privacy most. DuckDuckGo started in 2008 as a search engine created by Gabriel Weinberg. Its main difference compared to Google was that It did not save search history or create profiles of its users. From this service, the company expanded its offer until developing its own browser with an integrated search engine that arrived in 2018 on Android and iOS, in 2022 on Mac and in 2023 on Windows.
The browser stands out for include several protections as standard that normally require installing extensions. These include blocking third-party trackers, removing tracking parameters in links, automatically managing cookie notices, and Global Privacy Controlwhich communicates to the pages that the user does not want their data to be sold or shared.
So far, DuckDuckGo did not act as a general ad blocker. Its protection prevented trackers used by numerous advertising networks from loading and, as a consequence, removed ads that depended on them, but advertising that did not use these mechanisms could still appear. In fact, the search engine itself shows contextual ads based on the queries made, although it ensures that it does not use personal histories or profiles to select them.
How YouTube Ad Blocking Works on DuckDuckGo
To block ads on the YouTube website, DuckDuckGo uses filter lists maintained by the uBlock Origin communityone of the best-known ad blockers, to identify ads, to which add your own rules intended to improve compatibility and avoid page errors. The company warns that the system can slightly increase initial charging timebut maintains that playback should continue normally once the video has started.
‘YouTube Ad Blocking blocks video ads on the YouTube web so you can watch content without interruptions,’ explains DuckDuckGo. ‘It’s the usual YouTube experience, but without ads (…) so you can continue taking advantage of functions such as remembering your playback history and saving the point you were going to in the playlists.’
This function should not be confused with Duck Playerthe YouTube player built into the browser. Duck Player opens the videos in a simplified interface and applies the strictest privacy settings YouTube offers for embedded content. In this way, it limits tracking cookies and prevents what is reproduced from influencing the recommendations and the user’s advertising profile. YouTube can still count views, so it doesn’t provide completely anonymous viewing. Can now be combined with the new YouTube blocker to remove most ads before and during playback.
DuckDuckGo is not the first browser to remove advertising without using extensions. brave It already includes an integrated blocker that acts on YouTube ads, as well as trackers and other elements of the Google platform. Both thus offer an alternative for those looking to reduce tracking and watch videos without purchasing YouTube Premium. In any case, Now that Chrome has limited the effectiveness of blockers, many users may be interested in these and other alternatives, such as Mozilla Firefox.