Audit external source integration with privacy-preserving proxies.
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Why this matters
DuckDuckGo anonymizes requests to external sources to protect user identity; improper integration risks privacy leaks and harms SEO trustworthiness.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Identify all external data sources used in search results integration.
- Confirm that API requests are routed through DuckDuckGo proxy servers, not client browsers.
- Check that no user IP addresses or unique identifiers are included in requests.
- Verify compliance through network logs demonstrating proxied anonymous requests.
- Document the architecture ensuring all external calls adhere to privacy-protecting proxying.
Watch for
Avoid direct client-side requests that expose user IPs or identifiers to data partners.
Definition of done
No user-identifiable data is directly sent to external sources; all requests are proxied through DuckDuckGo servers.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.