Tracking by large companies has become one of the fundamental pillars in which to invest to protect user privacy. Apple presented its function a few months ago at its WWDC 'Hide My Email'. A tool capable of avoiding the tracking of received emails by sending false information to trackers using random emails generated by iCloud. In the same way, DuckDuckGo has released its own email protection tool. With the premise of protecting the information and privacy of the user, this tool begins to work in its beta phase.
Email tracking: a common enemy
The reality that surrounds us is that we do nothing but share information without realizing it. According to some published studies, more than 70% of the emails we open and receive contain trackers. This means that senders can know when we have opened the mail, from where and with what device. It is one more example of the violation of privacy to which we are exposed and that little by little is coming to light.
DuckDuckGo is a web browser that takes care of guarantee the privacy of the user in their searches blocking any tool that interferes with the privacy of users. It has an app for iOS and Android and is one of the browsers that is growing the most. Especially taking into account its evolution and integration in large browsers thanks to its extension.
DuckDuckGo launches its own anti-tracking tool for email
Our free email forwarding service removes email trackers and protects the privacy of your personal email address without asking you to change email applications or services.
From the secure web browser they have decided to launch email protection. This new tool is very similar to iCloud + 'Hide My Email'. However, they differ in some concept that we will analyze below. Roughly, is a tool capable of preventing trackers from collecting user information when they open the emails, enhancing the privacy of the users.
The operation of the DuckDuckGo tool requires the creation of an email under the domain @ duck.com. All emails that we receive in our main inbox will go through Duck's system under the domain @ duck.com. In that step, the system will erase and cancel any tracker found and it will forward the mail, without any tracker, to the original email account, for example, Gmail or Outlook.
User privacy in the spotlight
The difference between this system and the system used by Apple is that the Big Apple tool does not remove trackers but rather sends erroneous and random information thanks to the bounce through a randomly created email. However, the DuckDuckGo tool is capable of removing trackers and sending virgin mail to the main electronic account.
In addition, as they assure from the browser, the function is compatible with any device thanks to the integration of the extension in large browsers. Instead, iCloud + 'Hide My Email' will only be available on iOS, iPadOS and macOS. In their final versions of the betas that are being released throughout these months, of course.
The DuckDuckGo feature is only being tested on a select group of beta testers. Although it is logical that in the coming weeks it will be available to everyone. If you want to access the beta you have to access the app, go to Settings> Beta functions> Mail protection> Join the waiting list.