If you want privacy use EU companies. If you don't want to use EU companies use Google since contrary to DDG they are heavily controlled by law. If you like the bangs of DDG use a native app like Albert or Alfred which is way more accessible anyway.
There is a HUGE difference between "we give your information to advertisers (or ourselves, if an advertiser)" and "we give your information to law enforcement when legally required."
---
"You are aware US/UK banks by definition cannot be secure regardless of what they say about themselves."
Yes, but it's a far cry from just leaving my cash on my doorstep.
Replace your checking account with Bitcoin if you want, but a bank offers enough security/privacy for most people.
---
> If you want privacy use EU companies.
The EU has gone back and forth on wanting to allow/forbid backdoors.
If your point was "US/UK companies in practice are not usually private", that is probably true.
My understanding is, that while the US has virtually no statutory protection of privacy, DDG has a privacy policy, and deliberately violating it would be fraudulent, contravene COPPA, and make them liable in tort law.
As far as state surveillance goes, the EU is not a haven, the UK, despite being a member, is one of the worst offenders. Some European countries have relatively good surveillance laws, such as Iceland and Switzerland (neither being in the European Union).
I'm trying to search the web... from a web browser. I'd be interested to hear what EU-based search engines are out there that have privacy as one of their values.
Also if Google is heavily controlled by law, then what laws don't apply to DDG that would make me safer using Google?
Disclaimer: DuckDuckGo staff
One is for navigating apps, desktop and offline content. The other for discovering online content.
If the EU's privacy laws aren't sufficient in the UK I'm not sure why you think they are sufficient in the rest of the EU.