DuckDuckGo vs OpenAI (ChatGPT)
Based on our analysis, DuckDuckGo is the more privacy-respecting choice overall.
BACK →| Category | DuckDuckGo | OpenAI (ChatGPT) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | B+ · 84/100 | D · 42/100 |
| What they collect | Positive (91) | Concern (38) |
| Who they share it with | Positive (80) | Mixed (48) |
| What you can do | Positive (85) | Concern (42) |
| What they promise | Positive (78) | Mixed (52) |
DuckDuckGo genuinely doesn't build a profile of your searches or browsing — the policy is short because the collection is genuinely minimal — but it's a US company, ad clicks are routed through Microsoft's network, and optional features like Email Protection require you to hand over personal data under a separate policy.
View full analysis →OpenAI collects account data, all prompts and responses, file uploads, voice inputs, and a separate Memory that persists even when you delete chats. Training on your conversations is on by default; you must opt out. A federal court order (May 2025) requires OpenAI to preserve and segregate ChatGPT conversation data — including deleted conversations. API and Enterprise: training is off; your data is never used for training. OpenAI states they don't sell personal data or use it for targeted advertising.
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