In a time when the web is increasingly overrun with AI-generated clutter, DuckDuckGo is stepping up with features to help clean the house. Known for its privacy-first stance, the search engine has launched a new image filter and enhanced security tool to give users more control over what they see—and what they avoid.

This week, DuckDuckGo introduced a new “AI images” dropdown filter in its image search. The update allows users to either include or exclude AI-generated visuals from their results. According to the company, this filter can “significantly reduce the number of AI-created visuals in your results,” helping users zero in on authentic, human-made content.

It's a simple option with major implications for anyone tired of scrolling past surreal or awkward AI renderings while searching for real images—like a natural photograph of a baby peacock, for instance. That very example was showcased by DuckDuckGo on X (formerly Twitter), referencing a viral case where searches for peacocks often returned bizarre, synthetic images.

While this new tool may not catch every hyper-realistic AI creation, DuckDuckGo says it leverages community-driven sources like uBlockOrigin’s open-source blocklists. These lists are updated regularly to help identify and filter the most blatant AI imagery.

But that’s not all the browser has added. Alongside the AI image filter, DuckDuckGo has expanded its Scam Blocker tool. Initially designed to guard against phishing and malware, this feature now also protects users from a broader range of threats—such as fraudulent online stores, fake surveys, cryptocurrency scams, and pop-up scareware claiming your device is infected.

If users click on a suspicious link, the Scam Blocker intercepts it before it loads, flashing a warning instead. This helps prevent users from being tricked into giving away money, buying counterfeit products, or downloading harmful software.

Unlike some mainstream solutions, DuckDuckGo's Scam Blocker does not use Google infrastructure or track browsing activity. The tool fetches security updates from Netcraft every 20 minutes, stores them locally, and performs real-time checks—ensuring privacy remains intact.

This security feature is built into DuckDuckGo’s desktop browser and browser extension by default, free of charge. Users who opt for the company’s Privacy Pro plan ($10/month) get these protections extended across other browsers too.

Together, these updates underline DuckDuckGo’s continuing push to offer a cleaner, safer, and more transparent web experience—free from misleading AI visuals and the growing landscape of digital scams.