DuckDuckGo now lets you hide AI-generated images in search results
In a significant move aimed at enhancing user experience and combating the proliferation of low-quality, AI-generated content online, privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo has announced a new feature allowing users to filter out AI-generated images from their search results. This update comes in direct response to user feedback highlighting how these AI-created visuals often impede the discovery of relevant, authentic content.
The rapid advancement and widespread use of generative AI have led to an unprecedented influx of what many are now calling “AI slop” — a term used to describe low-quality, often irrelevant media content that clutters digital spaces. Users have increasingly expressed frustration over encountering artificial images that obscure real-world results, a growing challenge that DuckDuckGo is now directly addressing for its users.
Accessing this new filtering capability is straightforward and designed for user convenience. Users can initiate a search on DuckDuckGo and then navigate to the “Images” tab. Within this section, a new drop-down menu specifically labeled “AI images” will appear, offering the choice to either “show” or “hide” AI content based on individual preference. For those who prefer a more permanent setting, the filter can also be easily activated through the general search settings by selecting the “Hide AI-Generated Images” option.
DuckDuckGo has provided insights into the mechanism behind this new filter, explaining that its effectiveness relies on manually curated open-source blocklists. These include prominent lists such as the ‘nuclear’ list provided by uBlockOrigin and the uBlacklist Huge AI Blocklist. While the company acknowledges that this method “won’t catch 100% of AI-generated results,” it confidently asserts that it will “greatly reduce the number of AI-generated images you see,” thereby significantly improving the overall quality and relevance of image search results.
This development is particularly timely and relevant given recent controversies surrounding major search engines inadvertently prioritizing AI-generated images over authentic ones. A notable instance includes Google facing widespread criticism last year for displaying a disproportionate number of AI images of baby peacocks rather than real-life photographs when users searched for the bird. DuckDuckGo’s internal example for demonstrating their new feature, incidentally, also depicts an image search for a baby peacock, subtly underscoring their acute awareness of this ongoing industry-wide challenge.
Looking ahead, DuckDuckGo has indicated ambitious plans to introduce additional filters in the future, although specific details have yet to be disclosed. This new filter represents a crucial step in the company’s ongoing commitment to providing a cleaner, more relevant, and privacy-respecting search experience, empowering users to navigate the evolving digital landscape with greater precision and less digital clutter.
