DuckDuckGo, the internet browser that specializes in online privacy, is launching several new tools aimed at making sure online data brokers can’t get access to your personal information.
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The new set of tools, called Privacy Pro, combines three things: an anonymous VPN that secures up to five devices at a time, a personal information removal service that finds and removes your details from data broker sites, and an identity theft restoration service that provides you with a dedicated advisor to help restore accounts, recover losses, and correct your credit report should your information be compromised.
The company said all of these are the first services of their kind because the user doesn’t have to submit any information to use them. It’s worth noting that since everything is stored encrypted on a local device, the tools won’t work on mobile. The Privacy Pro dashboard can’t even be accessed outside a Mac or PC, but the company said it is working on that.
On the VPN side of things, the company pointed out that it won’t keep logs of VPN activity, meaning it has no way to tie what happens on DuckDuckGo to any individual.
For the personal information removal service (DuckDuckGo acquired data removal service Removaly in 2022), your info is stored on your device, not on a server. Removal requests are initiated directly from your device and sites are scanned regularly to make sure your information doesn’t reappear.
And identify theft restoration only begins, the company noted, should you encounter a problem. You don’t have to provide any information to sign up for coverage.
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When it comes to payment, everything is securely handled by Stripe, Google Play, or the Apple App Store, with nothing being stored by DuckDuckGo.
Users can subscribe to Privacy Pro for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. It’s only available to US customers at the moment, but other regions will be added in the future. This is the first time the company has charged for a product.
