  This paper investigates the determinants of end-user adoption of the
DuckDuckGo search engine coupling the standard UTAUT model with factors to
reflect reputation, risk, and trust. An experimental approach was taken to
validate our model, where participants were exposed to the DuckDuckGo product
using a vignette. Subsequently, answering questions on their perception of the
technology. The data was analyzed using the partial least squares-structural
equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. From the nine distinct factors studied,
we found that 'Performance Expectancy' played the greatest role in user
decisions on adoption, followed by 'Firm Reputation', 'Initial Trust in
Technology', 'Social Influence', and an individual's 'Disposition to Trust'. We
conclude by exploring how these findings can explain DuckDuckGo's rising
prominence as a search engine.
