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DuckDuckGo Browser Updates, Now Blocks YouTube Ads

Privacy-focused DuckDuckGo browser launches a new feature that automatically blocks most YouTube video ads across nearly all platforms.

DuckDuckGo announced a significant feature update for its browser, stating it can now block most video ads appearing on YouTube, including both pre-roll and in-stream ads. This feature is now enabled by default in the latest DuckDuckGo browser versions for Mac, Windows, and iOS. For Android users, the feature is not yet enabled by default, but the company states it will be rolled out automatically soon. However, Android users can manually activate it now via Settings > Ad Blocking. Behind this feature's operation, DuckDuckGo leverages community-maintained filter list technology from uBlock Origin (a popular ad-blocking filter set) to detect and block YouTube ads. The company clarified that this new ad-blocking system is separate from its existing 'Duck Player' feature, which is a privacy-focused YouTube video player that prevents tracking by Google. However, DuckDuckGo has informed users about potential limitations and side effects. This feature will only work when watching YouTube via the website within the DuckDuckGo browser, and cannot block ads directly within the YouTube application. Additionally, users might notice videos taking slightly longer to buffer or start playing, and blocking effectiveness may change in the future if YouTube modifies its system.