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Important points of ZDNET
- DuckDuckGo has a new video player that blocks ads.
- Duck Player is available for MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.
- You can install and use the latest version of the browser for free.
With Google discontinuing Chrome’s ad blocker, DuckDuckGo decided to do something about it by blocking video ads, even on YouTube.
The latest version of the DuckDuckGo browser includes the ability to block video ads. I tried it and it worked very well. The new version (1.197.0) includes the ability to block YouTube video ads thanks to Duck Player.
According to DuckDuckGo’s official help page, “The browser’s built-in video player enforces YouTube’s strictest privacy settings for embedded videos, with cookies and personalized ad tracking all within a clean, theatrical interface.”
Also: Next Chrome update will disable ad blockers, making the web less secure
Duck Player is currently available in the DuckDuckGo browser for MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS (unfortunately, there is no Linux version of this browser yet). Duck Player is enabled by default, so as soon as you open your browser and start enjoying videos on YouTube, you’ll notice that those videos are ad-free.
Duck Player and video ad blocking are both enabled by default.
Screenshot by Jack Warren/ZDNET
Of course, if you want to use the default version of YouTube, you can just disable Duck Player.
I tested Duck Player by watching the entire Rush 50-Something tour (over two hours) using the DuckDuckGo browser on MacOS, and it didn’t play a single ad. I could see where the ad should play on the timeline, but it never actually played.
Related Article: Why Incognito Mode Isn’t the Most Private Way to Browse the Web (Instead)
This is some serious magic that DuckDuckGo has pulled off, and I’m here for it.
But why remove ads?
I understand that. People and businesses need to keep the lights on, and for a long time, online advertising seemed like the way to do it. But embedded video ads have a problem. First, it can be very surprising, especially if you turn up the volume enough to enjoy the music. As we all know, advertising is intentionally loud. I turned the volume up so high that I was worried the sound would destroy my speakers when the ads started playing.
Ads can also be an issue if you’re trying to screen share something like a Zoom call and the video you need to play is on YouTube. Thanks to targeted advertising, it can become embarrassing.
There are also privacy issues. Video ads are another way websites and companies collect personal data. Consumers don’t have to take new privacy battles into their own hands.
We also found an easy way to automatically exclude AI from your search results. This works in almost all browsers.
These are just a few examples of why removing video ads is actually the right thing to do. Additionally, when was the last time you clicked on a link in a video ad? Honestly, I can’t remember the last time.
That’s why the new Duck Player is a breath of fresh air. DuckDuckGo combines video ad blocking with other improvements to outperform its competitors, making this browser increasingly difficult to ignore. In fact, I can guarantee that if DuckDuckGo offered a Linux version of its browser, it would become my default on all platforms.
How to get the new version
If you don’t have the browser installed yet, you can get the installer from DuckDuckGo’s official website. Once downloaded, double-click the installer to run the installation wizard.
If you have a mobile device, you can install DuckDuckGo from the relevant app store [iOS|Android].
Also: Replaced Google Search with DuckDuckGo and Perplexity – Results are noticeably better
If you have DuckDuckGo installed,[メニュー]>[ヘルプ]>[バージョン情報]and on the page that appears,[アップデートの確認]Click. You’ll know if you have the latest version installed when you see “New Ad Blocker” in the left sidebar.
I regularly check for new versions of all browsers.
Screenshot by Jack Warren/ZDNET
DuckDuckGo is one of the most trusted browsers on the market. When used in conjunction with the company’s search engine, you can be sure that your data is not being used for anything and that your privacy is taken seriously. With the addition of the new Duck Player, you can rest assured that the same privacy applies to YouTube videos and other places where video ads can disrupt your day or trust.
