DuckDuckGo announced its new Privacy Pro bundled service in an effort to provide more comprehensive privacy tools for users. The Privacy Pro bundle will include a VPN, personal data removal service, and 24/7 identify theft restoration. The service will initially be available only in the U.S. for $9.99 per month or $99.99 for a full-year subscription. It will integrate into and complement the company’s already excellent search engine and browser.
The new VPN, built entirely in-house by DuckDuckGo, promises not to log any user data and will run right in the DuckDuckGo browser — a standalone VPN app is not currently available. The VPN will allow for up to five simultaneous device connections, with 13 server locations in the U.S., Europe, and Canada. It will also exclusively use the open-source WireGuard protocol for all connections, which is a great choice as it’s still the fastest and most secure protocol. DuckDuckGo plans to expand its VPN in the future adding more servers and country locations as well.
Subscribers to Privacy Pro can also take advantage of a personal data removal feature that will “scan dozens of these sites for your info and, if found, request its removal, even handling back-and-forth confirmation emails for you automatically behind the scenes.” It will even continue this process, re-scanning websites regularly to help minimize the risk of your data reappearing. Users will be able to view the personal data that the service has already removed at any time from their browser.
To complete the trifecta of privacy features, Privacy Pro will include an additional identity theft restoration service. While its personal data removal feature can help reduce the chance of identity theft, it can’t outright prevent it. In the event that your identity is stolen or compromised, you can use the restoration service to begin fixing the issue. For this service, DuckDuckGo partnered with Iris, a longstanding identify theft advising firm. Users can call the service 24/7 and Iris agents will take steps to minimize the damage such as freezing credit reports, replacing documents, fixing fraudulent medical claims, and covering some out-of-pocket costs, and more.