Do DuckDuckGo extensions send data to Google Analytics or Firebase?
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Executive summary
Available reporting shows DuckDuckGo’s browser, extensions and apps block third‑party trackers such as Google Analytics and Tag Manager on sites where they detect tracking, and the company says its extension doesn’t itself track searches or browsing [1] [2]. Independent studies and blog posts argue Google’s analytics and embeds still send data from many sites to Google even when users choose privacy tools, but those reports document site behavior, not DuckDuckGo extension internals [3] [4].
1. What DuckDuckGo publicly says about Google Analytics and trackers
DuckDuckGo advertises that its browser and extensions include “3rd‑Party Tracker Loading Protection” which blocks identified tracking scripts — explicitly naming Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager among the resources it blocks — and says it will block Tag Manager in contexts where it detects embedded fingerprinting code [1]. DuckDuckGo also states clearly on its product pages that “we never track your searches” and that its extensions and apps help block other companies from collecting data [2].
2. How DuckDuckGo’s protections are described to work in practice
The company says it maintains a Tracker Radar to crawl the web, identify tracking requests and expand its blocking list to cover scripts from Google, Facebook and Microsoft across its apps and browser extensions; that programmatic blocking is what prevents third‑party trackers from loading on pages you visit via the extension or app [4] [1]. Those descriptions are operational claims by DuckDuckGo about the extension’s behavior [4] [1].
3. Independent research showing Google tracking persists on the web
External studies and blog reporting show Google’s analytics, ads and embeds remain deeply embedded across the web and can send data to Google from many sites — a point made in a July 2025 write‑up noting up to 40% of sites in a U.S. sample still sent data to Google through Analytics, AdSense or YouTube embeds [3]. That reporting demonstrates site operators often include Google services, which is a separate question from what the DuckDuckGo extension does when it encounters those scripts [3].
4. Reconciling the two narratives: extension blocking vs. site‑side inclusion
The tension in public discourse is predictable: DuckDuckGo says its extension blocks Google Analytics and related scripts from loading in many contexts [1] [4], while empirical studies document that many websites include Google trackers server‑side or via embeds that may still emit network calls under some conditions. Available sources do not give a step‑by‑step technical audit proving every possible call is blocked in all browsers or on every site; they document company policy and external measurements separately [1] [3].
5. What the sources do and do not confirm about DuckDuckGo extensions sending data to Google
DuckDuckGo’s own documentation claims it blocks Google Analytics and related Google tracker loading in its extensions and apps and that it will block Tag Manager where fingerprinting is detected [1] [4]. Independent reporting shows Google trackers are ubiquitous across the web and continue to send data on many sites [3]. Available sources do not provide a third‑party, comprehensive network capture analysis proving that the DuckDuckGo extension never allows any contact with Google Analytics or Firebase in every possible scenario; they also do not document DuckDuckGo shipping Firebase or Google Analytics endpoints from its own extension (available sources do not mention a definitive audit showing zero calls in all cases).
6. The Firebase angle: why it’s raised and what sources say
Firebase is Google’s mobile/web SDK suite that collects analytics and device identifiers when integrated into apps [5] [6]. The search results include generic Firebase documentation about data collection and configuration [5] [6] and commentary that Firebase collects telemetry when present in apps [7]. None of the provided DuckDuckGo sources say DuckDuckGo’s extension includes Firebase, nor do the sources document DuckDuckGo calling Firebase endpoints from the extension (available sources do not mention DuckDuckGo using Firebase in its extensions).
7. Practical takeaway for users who want assurance
If you want to minimize Google Analytics and similar trackers while browsing, DuckDuckGo’s public stance and product descriptions state their extension actively blocks many Google tracking scripts and Tag Manager in some cases [1] [4]. Independent research shows site‑level inclusion of Google trackers is widespread and can defeat privacy expectations if unblocked by a given tool or if a site integrates trackers differently [3]. There is no single source here that provides a conclusive, independent packet‑level audit proving the extension blocks every possible Google endpoint in all circumstances (available sources do not mention such an audit).
8. How to verify for yourself and why it matters
For certainty, security‑minded users should combine the extension with network monitoring or browser developer tools to watch outgoing requests to google-analytics.com, analytics.google.com, firebaseio.com and related domains while visiting pages; the public sources provided describe what DuckDuckGo blocks and what Google tools do, but they stop short of a comprehensive, public verification report [1] [5] [3]. That empirical check will reveal whether the extension blocks a given tracker on the precise sites and browsers you use.