How to Turn Off Safe Search on DuckDuckGo

The safe search function allows you to remove adult content from DuckDuckGo. This is handy for use when there are children or vulnerable people around who may be tempted to use your device to access adult content. It also has the added benefit of blocking some of the most malware-heavy websites. For years, adult content has been a good way to hook unsuspecting people with poor quality anti-virus coverage.

Turning Off DuckDuckGo’s Safe Search

Take a look at the drop-down box under the search box on the results page. It shows you options, which include the “Safe Search” options.

You may toggle this function to change the safe search settings. DuckDuckGo does its best to keep you safe from adult content where appropriate. However, if something slips the net, they ask that you let them know with the “Send Feedback” link on their web browser.

You Can Try a Bang

Using the “Bang” syntax, you can append your searches to turn safe search on or off. Bangs are shortcuts that quickly take you to search results on other sites, and are even able to turn safe search on and off.

There’s more than one Bang for turning on and off the safe search function. Here are the safe search bangs that will interest you.

DuckDuckGo Safe search off: !safeoff

DuckDuckGo Safe Search on: !sson

Change the Safe Search Options via the DuckDuckGo Settings Page

On the easy-to-use and easy-to-understand settings page, you’ll see the same safe-search options you saw on the search results page. It asks if you would like to omit objectionable, mostly adult material. The DuckDuckGo setting page also allows you to choose between “Off”, “Moderate” and “Strict”.

Strict means that any form of sexualization or egregious violence is blocked. Sexualization means anything from kinky outfits to nipples slips. Egregious violence means that the after effects of violence are shown. For example, it’s okay for the Three Stooges to bonk each other on the head with mallets, but the content is omitted if one of them bleeds.

The moderate setting allows most types of sexualization and many types of violence. However, it blocks adult content depicting pornography or stimulated humans or animals. In short, if you can see it on regular TV, then that’s what you’ll see on the moderate setting. The same goes for violence, except that graphic violence such as mutilation is omitted.

Use a Safe Home Page

There’s a link you can use to access their search engine with the “Safe search” already set to strict by default. You have to follow the link:

https://safe.duckduckgo.com/

This brings you to the regular starting page, but every answer you find on the DuckDuckGo search engine will have the strict filter enabled.

If you wish to keep things safe all the time, then set that link as your starting page (your home page) and it will save you having to alter any settings.

How Does DuckDuckGo Know What Is Adult Content?

Old-fashioned systems used to block certain keywords, but that’s why things like “Hotties” was let through when mammogram websites were blocked. These days there are many ways of telling what is adult content thanks to online reporting and index directories. A common method is via the adverts listed on the website. For example, if a website has Google adverts or Bing adverts, then there’s a very good chance that the content is safe. Therefore, DuckDuckGo auto-approves it until it’s reported as being wrong.

Why Would Adults Want to Censor or Omit Adult Content?

There are actually quite a few subjects you can research that will produce some very disturbing or very pornographic results. For example, if you were writing an essay about sexploitation of younger people, you may inadvertently land on some very uncomfortable websites that have nothing to do with your essay topic.

Even seemingly innocent topics can generate some very disturbing images. Simple research into rabbit behavior soon degenerates into articles and videos of rabbits being hunted, tested on, etc. This may not seem like a problem at first, but if certain issues need researching over and over again, it’s often better to remove adult content for the sake of search engine accuracy and to avoid any deleterious effects on your state of mind.

Plenty of Choice

There’s plenty of choice, but remember that these options are hardly child safe. It may fool younger children who don’t know how to go into the settings and change things up, but it won’t fool your older children. In order to force safe search, you’ll either have to do it at a network level, or use your technical expertise to force safe search into the on or off position.

Do you use safe search? Do you prefer to use your anti-virus program to protect your kids from adult content? How do you enable and disable adult content with DuckDuckGo? Let us know in the comments section below.