DuckDuckGo Will Block Google's 'Invasive, Annoying' Sign-In Popups (gizmodo.com) 39
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Gizmodo: DuckDuckGo, the internet's favorite private search engine, is rolling out a new feature across its service Wednesday called Google Sign-in Pop-up Protection, It's on by default, saving your eyes and your time from Google's nagging. You can still sign in with Google whenever you want, you just don't have to deal with Google's prompts. "They popups are invasive, annoying and they undermine user privacy," said Peter Dolanjski, director of product for DuckDuckGo. "Google is employing a dark pattern by pushing you to sign in when you might not have otherwise. When you do, Google is is tracking what you do on those websites and linking it to your identity."
Google Sign In is nothing new, but the popups are a subtle but pervasive change to the web. You can find them on Booking.com, Pinterest, Reddit, Trulio, Zillo and countless more. "We believe google is pitching the popups to these websites as a win-win," Dolanjski said. "If they can get more users to sign in, it opens up more data collection both for Google and publishers, and it lets Google better target users with ads." That means more money for everyone involved, except you.
Google Sign In is nothing new, but the popups are a subtle but pervasive change to the web. You can find them on Booking.com, Pinterest, Reddit, Trulio, Zillo and countless more. "We believe google is pitching the popups to these websites as a win-win," Dolanjski said. "If they can get more users to sign in, it opens up more data collection both for Google and publishers, and it lets Google better target users with ads." That means more money for everyone involved, except you.
"internet's favorite private search engine" (Score:1)
Re: "internet's favorite private search engine" (Score:1)
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Also, a quick Google search seems to show that it's a toss-up between DuckDuckGo and Startpage for best and/or most popular private search engine. I'm partial to Startpage. Here's a comparison [defendingdigital.com]:
Startpage: Based in The Netherlands, not subject to US laws, uses Google (and lxquick)
DuckDuckGo: Based in the US, subject to US laws, uses Bing
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> DuckDuckGo: Based in the US, subject to US laws, uses Bing
No. It primarily uses Bing:
"DuckDuckGo's results are a compilation of "over 400" sources according to itself, including Bing, Yahoo! Search BOSS, Wolfram Alpha, Yandex, and its own web crawler (the DuckDuckBot); but none from Google."
https://help.duckduckgo.com/du... [duckduckgo.com]
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There was no date on the article I referenced, so the information could be old...
I wish more online sources included publishing dates.
Cool (Score:2)
Thanks, but ... (Score:4, Informative)
I simply created a uBO filter for that using the Element Picker (eyedropper).
Re:Thanks, but ... (Score:5, Interesting)
I simply created a uBO filter for that using the Element Picker (eyedropper).
I did this as well; but I applaud DuckDuckGo for stepping up to help everyone else with this. Those annoying "Sign in with Google" pop-ups are spreading like an STD. They need to be squashed...
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I simply created a uBO filter for that using the Element Picker (eyedropper).
I did this as well; but I applaud DuckDuckGo for stepping up to help everyone else with this. Those annoying "Sign in with Google" pop-ups are spreading like an STD. They need to be squashed...
Agreed, though I wonder if Google could sue DuckDuckGo to prevent them from altering Google's page?
Also, WTF Google? The "Sign In" button is already there in the upper-right corner. If we wanted to do that we would. Displaying a "Sign In" pop-up just annoys the fuck out of people. Stop it.
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I run uBlock Origin and I was still seeing them. I'm sure updated blocking rules are (or will be) disseminated to cover this, but having the ability to add your own rules means you don't have to wait for that to happen.
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My note was just for the Google search page -- I haven't encountered this pop-up elsewhere, but it's really annoying there. To exclude the Google "Sign In" popup there using uBO, navigate to the Google search page, click on the uBO icon to display the drop-down, click on the "eyedropper" icon -- the page should go grey. Move the mouse over the "Sign In" popup element select it. You'll get a uBO panel in the lower right corner showing the the element. Select the "Create" button to add a rule to the "My Fil
Browser problem (Score:4, Insightful)
There is virtually never any valid reason to pop-up, certainly not a modal dialog of any kind. Browsers should black-hole it all by default, sending it to some obscure log where only geeks who are curious can parse through and see what was trying to initiate a pop-up. For those rare instances of legacy sites that rely on the creation of new windows and/or pop-ups, it should be possible to enable it on a per-site basis, and web designers should be put on general notice that it's bad form. End of story, come on FireFox. You want your relevance and market share back? Deeply integrated anti-annoyance features would help. Remember what a godsend tab-mute was? I used it just the other day. We need more of that.
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There is virtually never any valid reason to pop-up, certainly not a modal dialog of any kind. Browsers should black-hole it all by default, sending it to some obscure log where only geeks who are curious can parse through and see what was trying to initiate a pop-up. For those rare instances of legacy sites that rely on the creation of new windows and/or pop-ups, it should be possible to enable it on a per-site basis, and web designers should be put on general notice that it's bad form. End of story, come on FireFox. You want your relevance and market share back? Deeply integrated anti-annoyance features would help. Remember what a godsend tab-mute was? I used it just the other day. We need more of that.
I'm filling in a major government application at the moment. When I need a term or question explained in detail (as the UK govt is required to do on their web sites) I don't want to lose the place I'm in, in the form or the data I've already entered (which is another reason UK online forms are about 10,000 pages long, it's 1-3 questions per page so your data is saved on a regular basis). A pop up is perfect for this as you don't even need to take your attention away from that page and there's no risk of it
Had to switch to Google (Score:2)
The results from DDG have become completely useless for me. Too many sponsored results and zero useful results for almost every search.
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You might want to try Startpage [startpage.com] ...
Here's a comparison [defendingdigital.com] to DDG.
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>"You might want to try Startpage [startpage.com] ..."
I used that for many years as primary. Now I use DDG as primary and StartPage as secondary. StartPage is the same results as Google, but anonymously and without the extra "frills."
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I actually signed up for Neeva. The search results are good and now lack the sponsored results. Time will tell if they continue to act in good faith.
This is Easy to Disable (Score:2)
If you find that login box annoying, but don't want to use DDGs software you can disable in your Google settings:
https://www.howtogeek.com/7351... [howtogeek.com]
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I did a little experimenting and it looks like this works using a Google cookie, so you'll still get the pop-up when you don't have those set/available. Creating a uBO (or other) filter always works.
This feature is already under your control (Score:3, Informative)
It's a Google Account feature. No need to use some magic competitor to block something. Just go to your Google Account > Security > Signing in with Google > Uncheck "Google account sign-in prompts".
Done. No need to use any 3rd party blocking service.
As for the amazing revelation that signing in with a Google account allows Google to track your use. ... No! Fucking! Waaaay! I'm shocked! /s
This is one of the most useless things DDG has ever done.
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It's a Google Account feature. No need to use some magic competitor to block something. Just go to your Google Account > Security > Signing in with Google > Uncheck "Google account sign-in prompts".
Done. No need to use any 3rd party blocking service.
As for the amazing revelation that signing in with a Google account allows Google to track your use. ... No! Fucking! Waaaay! I'm shocked! /s
This is one of the most useless things DDG has ever done.
Woah, woah, woah! You mean people might have to take some kind of action to not be harassed? That's crazy talk. People would rather be inconvenienced than take ten seconds to make their life easier.
It's like people on here complaining about NYT articles being paywalled. A simple ten seconds and done. But nope, whine and complain until the cows come home because it would require them to take an insignificant bit of action.
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Woah, woah, woah! You mean people might have to take some kind of action to not be harassed?
Not at all. Google customers who already use Google need to take some action to stop a Google feature being presented to them.
If you don't have a Google account, or aren't already logged in with Google you need to take *no* action and will not be harassed.
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It's a Google Account feature. No need to use some magic competitor to block something. Just go to your Google Account > Security > Signing in with Google > Uncheck "Google account sign-in prompts".
Done. No need to use any 3rd party blocking service.
I did a little experimenting and it looks like this works using a Google cookie, so you'll still get the pop-up when you don't have those set/available. Creating a uBO (or other) filter always works.
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You're a fucking moron.
On the one hand, you need an account to use anything these days. On the other, why should I create a Google Account to use Firefox? (It gets those pop-ups too, some days.) And of course, privacy: Google isn't watching what my browser does on their web-servers, they're watching my browser across the whole internet. But that's why Google nags: They get idiots like the GP [slashdot.org] who think it's easier to just follow orders (or possibly, that everyone needs Google Account, all the time) than fight for 'privacy'.
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On the other, why should I create a Google Account to use Firefox?
Wrong question. The question is why should you create yet another account with someone. You already have hundreds of sites on the internet which could authenticate you. Using an existing one seems like an obvious choice.
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It's a Google Account feature. No need to use some magic competitor to block something. Just go to your Google Account > Security > Signing in with Google > Uncheck "Google account sign-in prompts".
Done. No need to use any 3rd party blocking service.
As for the amazing revelation that signing in with a Google account allows Google to track your use. ... No! Fucking! Waaaay! I'm shocked! /s
I am 100% certain you still get these popups if you're not logged into a browser using a Google account... or even if you don't have a Google account at all. Its the same with the "Log in using Facebook/Twitter/your mum" or "sign up to our shitty mailing list so we can sell your email address to spammers" popups. Fortunately most are handled by uBlock Origin or Privacy badger.
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No, you don't get Google popups. They only happen if you are logged in to a browser. What you do get is when you're presented by a login box (by that site's own volition, nothing to do with Google) you have a split login prompt which then prompts you to log in with Google, Facebook, Apple, OR create a separate account. And here's what that looks like: https://imgur.com/a/KuJhL11 [imgur.com] no dark patterns there either.
Huh, I thought this was obvious (Score:2)
First time I saw it, I suspected I knew what it was. Never did click on it, ever. And I disabled that prompt in settings.
We'll see how long they remember that.
Good (Score:1)
HTML 5 Sheets Worse Than Frames (Score:2)
Is DuckDuckGo just Bing? (Score:1)
They seem to be.