Privacy-focussed browser DuckDuckGo has announced a new plan that gives you access to three security features. Similar to other popular web browser companies such as Mozilla and Opera, DuckDuckGo will give you access to a VPN that uses the open-source WireGuard protocol in its Privacy Pro plan.
Apart from a VPN, for $9.99 per month, you also get personal information removal and identity theft restoration services. You can also opt for the $99.99 per year plan to enjoy these three security services. Notably, the DuckDuckGo Privacy Pro plan is only available in the US for now.
The Privacy Pro features are built into the DuckDuckGo browser, meaning you won’t need to install separate apps to enjoy the services. With the no-log VPN, DuckDuckGo promises never to store your VPN logs to maintain user privacy. Furthermore, it goes on to say that when you use DuckDuckGo’s no-log VPN, “we don’t have any record of website visits, DNS requests, IP addresses connected, or session lengths.”
Secure VPN servers from across the US, Europe, and Canada are accessible under the Privacy Pro plan, while the browser plans to add more in the future. The DuckDuckGo Privacy Pro plan also helps you with the personal information removal service.
Using the feature, you can use DuckDuckGo to find and remove your “personal information, such as your name and address, from data broker sites that store and sell it, helping to combat identity theft and spam.” The details provided during the setup process remain on your device, and for now, you would need a Windows or Mac PC to use the personal information removal tool.
The information removal process is automated, and DuckDuckGo automatically re-scans regularly to minimize the presence of your data online. The identity theft protection service connects you with an advisor from Iris, a partner of DuckDuckGo, to help you recover your stolen accounts and financial losses. Besides, the Iris advisor can also help you “cancel and replace your driver’s license, bank cards, passport, and social security card.”
You can access Privacy Pro on an updated DuckDuckGo browser on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows. The company is using Stripe, the Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store to process payments.