A photo shared on Facebook appears to show a headline reporting that search engine DuckDuckGo has signed a deal with Microsoft founder Bill Gates to track users online. 

Verdict: False

There is no evidence for this claim. It originates from a website known for spreading misinformation.

Fact Check: 

Gates, who dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft, recently gave a commencement speech at Northern Arizona University’s commencement ceremony, according to CNBC. He shared many life lessons in his speech, including, “There’s more to life than work,” Business Today reports.

A Facebook photo allegedly shows a screenshot of an article claiming DuckDuckGo made a “secret deal” with Gates to track users’ information. Underneath the headline are headshots of Gates and DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg.

“Google Lite: DuckDuckGo Signs Secret Deal with Bill Gates to Track Users Online,” the alleged headline reads. “Well, time to ditch DuckDuckGo!” the caption reads.

There is no evidence for the claim. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about such an agreement. (RELATED: Did DuckDuckGo CEO Announce Independent Media Outlets Will Be Purged From The Search Engine?)

The claim was originally posted by The People’s Voice, which rebranded from a website called NewsPunch notorious for misinformation. News Punch previously rebranded from “YourNewsWire” due to declining revenue from Facebook’s fact-checking system, Mashable reports. 

Check Your Fact has reached out to DuckDuckGo and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received from either source.