DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine, and it is joining the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to contribute to "global standards with privacy in mind as part of our mission to raise the standard of trust online."
It's no secret that internet companies are gathering what they can about users to target them with the necessary information, which will turn them into customers. While in general, their targeting methods are meant to improve the internet's overall experience, their methods of tracking can often go beyond users' consent.
With the search engine becoming a member of W3C, its privacy approach can influence the direction of the web's future standards, as well as any existing ones.
DuckDuckGo's can also emphasize how internet companies and internet marketers should use less data to target their intended users, and may influence others to adopt those standards.
We're delighted to have joined the World Wide Web Consortium (@w3c), contributing to global standards with privacy in mind as part of our mission to raise the standard of trust online.https://t.co/BXniTRoYWX
— DuckDuckGo (@DuckDuckGo) November 11, 2019
DuckDuckGo emphasizes protecting searchers' privacy and avoiding the filter bubble of personalized search results.
The search engine is capable of distinguishing itself from other search engines (most notably, Google) by not profiling its users and by showing all users the same search results for a given search term. With this approach, the search engine returns the best results from "over 400" sources, rather the the most results, or the results that are based on the users' interest.
Based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, the company was founded by Gabriel Weinberg in 2011.
As for the W3C, the consortium is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web, with members working together in the development of standards for the World Wide Web.
It was founded by the father of the web, Tim Berners-Lee, after he left the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in October, 1994.
W3C's membership is open for everyone. There are requirements and fees, and application for membership must first be reviewed and approved by the W3C.
With hundreds of members that include businesses, nonprofit organizations, universities, governmental entities, and individuals, the W3C also engages in education and outreach, develops software and serves as an open forum for discussion about the Web.