News News: 30 July 2025 - 4 August 2025

January 11, 2026, 11:32 AM EST. Run-of-the-mill searches reveal a privacy pivot in consumer behavior. Google's engine emphasizes personalization by tracking user activity across devices, delivering tailored results and ads. DuckDuckGo, by design, blocks third-party tracking, offering fewer personalized features but stronger privacy safeguards. The choice signals a broader attitude toward data collection, with more privacy-conscious users flocking to DuckDuckGo while others accept tracking for convenience. Industry watchers, including software expert Michael Muchmore, say the debate is less about which engine is faster and more about trust and transparency in data practices. For publishers and advertisers, the split reshapes targeting strategies. For users, the decision is a statement about how much they value privacy versus convenience.