Remove `t=canonical` from Firefox Browser Searches on DuckDuckGo

canonicalfirefoxsearch

In Ubuntu 14.04, when I do a search in Firefox using either the address bar or the search bar, the system always adds t=canonical to my searches. So the full string becomes: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cat+cooking+salmon&t=canonical.

However, if I perform the same search by going directly to the search engine, i.e. typing the search engine name and doing the search from the presented search box, this does not happen. In this case the string is: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cat+cooking+salmon.

Search made directly by going to DuckDuckGo

How do I stop Ubuntu/Firefox from adding t=canonical to my search queries? And, why is this behavior there in the first place?

Best Answer

&t=

Through partnerships with developers and companies, DuckDuckGo has been integrated into many applications. In these partnerships, a portion of DuckDuckGo's advertising revenue is sometimes shared back. To assign advertising revenue and collect anonymous aggregate usage information, developers add a unique "&t=" parameter to searches made through their applications.

If you want to remove it, edit the file:

/usr/lib/firefox/distribution/searchplugins/locale/*language-here*

Edit all the languages just to be sure.

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Edit for 20.04

  1. Open Firefox, navigate to Preferences --> Search, and remove the per-installed DuckDuckGo search engine
  2. Download the search engine new from the Firefox Add-ons directory. Select this as the default search engine in the preferences The string, &t=canonícal, ceased to insert itself into the searches via the address bar thereafter. With help from Komalleana Byzantis

Below are before and after pictures:

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Source:DuckDuckGo Forums

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