Opening a tab in private browsing mode is a gesture that we all do when we want to leave as little trace as possible of our browsing. But is it really like that? The truth is that no: as it already appears in Google Chrome, the application saves data in the same way.
Anonymous browsing is not only useful when we don’t want anyone to see our history, it is also a good way to have two accounts open for a service, For example. To do this, simply access the menu of applications like Google Chrome and select to open a private browsing window, a gesture that begins to lead to a new warning: Google has been forced to declare how this mode actually works .
Google Chrome saves the same data in normal and incognito mode
On the left, new Google Chrome notice. That’s right, old review
Although we think that so-called anonymous browsing means that websites don’t see our usage data, the truth is that this is not the case: Chrome allows access to browsing data as if it were not anonymous. In addition, the company records all usage data itself, as shown by a change it recently introduced in the browser.
From Google Chrome Canary, the most unstable version of all those in the Play Store, the new incognito mode notification is already visible when opening one of these windows or tabs. This decision is the result of a lawsuit against Google for the little transparency of what is recorded in incognito mode
Although incognito browsing does not protect against browsing recording, it is true that maintain some privacy. Here’s what this mode entails in Google Chrome:
- Google records browsing data in the same way as if you were not browsing in private browsing mode.
- Websites can track your usage and store your data in the same way as if you weren’t browsing incognito.
- Your Internet provider and/or the owners of the WiFi network you connect to may know where you are browsing.
- Google Chrome does not save your browsing history on the device.
- Cookies and data information are not saved on the device.
- The information you enter in forms is not saved on your device.
- All files you download are saved on the device.
The new notice already appears in the most unstable Chrome application and will extend to the rest of the versions until reaching stable Google Chrome in a few weeks. This does not imply any change at the operational level: incognito mode will continue to behave the same. Only now are the implications clear.
Cover image | DALL-E 3 in ChatGPT edited
By | MSPower User
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