The DuckDuckGo search engine aims to provide extra anonymity to users on Android apps. The company plans to prevent Android apps from tracking users when using their devices.
Invasive Data Collection Protection
According to the story by Wired, the privacy-focused tech company's most recent update promises to block invasive data collections that happen on users' phones. The update said that invasive data collections happen "across your whole phone."
DuckDuckGo is planning to come out with a solution for the app tracking issue on Android devices. The company went to Twitter to announce that they are launching their very own App Tracking Protection for Android.
App Tracking Protection for Android
According to a tweet by DuckDuckGo, the App Tracking Protection for Android is currently still in beta mode. The tracking protection is a new feature in their app that allows users to block third-party trackers like Facebook and Google already lurking in other apps.
At the end of April, Apple decided to introduce the company's App Tracking Transparency tools that shook the whole advertising industry to its very core. Owners of iPhones and iPads could now stop apps from tracking their behavior and utilizing the users' data for the companys' own personalized advertising.
How Much was Lost to Apple's Update?
Ever since the new privacy controls had launched, almost $10 billion dollars of revenue were wiped from popular platforms like Meta's Facebook, Snap, Twitter, and even YouTube, according to Financial Times. The estimated revenues lost by these companies were at $9.85 billion.
After this particular move, a number of users have decided not to allow advertisers to take their information, leaving them in the dark. To this, advertisers responded by cutting their spending on Facebook, Snap, Twitter, and YouTube to divert their budget somewhere else.
Facebook's CEO on Apple's Changes
Most advertisers decided to direct their investments to the Android phone users or Apple's ad business. Facebook's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, said that the iPhone changes would mean that the company's ad targeting accuracy would decrease.
In turn, this would also increase the total cost of driving outcomes for their advertisers. Sheryl Sandberg said that the new restrictions made measuring the outcomes of their ads more difficult.
Read Also: 4,400 Phone Numbers Compromised During Robinhood Hack
How to Join the Waitlist
A particular advertising technology company, Lotame, whose clients include McClatchy and The Weather Company, estimated that all four tech platforms actually lost a total of 12% of their revenue in Q3 and Q4. The estimation said that the revenue loss could be at $9.85 billion. Facebook lost the most due to the company's size.
As of the moment, DuckDuckGo's solution to user tracking is still in beta and is expected to launch in the future. The only option for users is to join the waiting list on the company's official website. The app can be downloaded on Android and needs activation before users can use it once it launches.
Related Article: Emotet Botnet Returns | Researchers Say it was Once the 'World's Most Dangerous Malware'
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
