GOOGLE Chrome users who surf the web in Incognito mode – an intended privacy browser – have been urged to keep an eye for a new alert.
A recently updated version of Chrome has begun issuing a disclaimer to clarify that websites can still collect as much data as they could outside of Incognito mode.
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It comes after Google settled a years-long lawsuit that claimed that the company misled users, and failed to make clear that websites will still track users who have Incognito mode switched on.
Google Chrome’s Incognito mode works like any other private browsing mode on rival browsers.
When activated, it stops saving information to your local machine, and erases any browsing history or tracking data the moment it’s closed.
However, some have understood the browser to let users surf the web without any trace – which isn’t true.
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Privacy boffins were significantly concerned because the majority of these trackers and cookies feed data back to Google-owned platforms which websites use for analytics and ad revenue.
The collected data also remains tied to your user profile, which Google uses to feed you more relevant ads.
The lawsuit sought an eyewatering $5billion in damages, but Google had agreed to settle the case on undisclosed terms.
Google has since made its Incognito disclaimer more explicit.
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Now when users browse ‘Incognito’, they are met with this message: “Others who use this device won’t see your activity, so you can browse more privately.
“This won’t change how data is collected by websites you visit and the services they use, including Google.
“Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved.”
While previously, Incognito users would be met with this message: “Now you can browse privately, and other people who use this device won’t see your activity.
“However, downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved.”
How to find out what Google knows about you
To see the data that Google has collected about you, you first need to open to your Google Account by clicking on your profile picture.
Then, select “Manage your Google Account”.
Next, click “Data & personalization”.
Here you’ll be able to scroll through your past online activites.
Including “YouTube watch and search history” and a “Maps timeline”.
If you scroll further down the page you’ll see an option to “Download or delete your data”.
Google explains the steps you need on its ‘Get a summary of data in your Google Account’ webpage.
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And you can check your ad personalisation here.
- Find out how to stop Google storing your activity here.
What does Chrome’s Incognito Mode hide?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Anyone on your Wi-Fi network could potentially use special spy software to view what you’re browsing, regardless of Incognito Mode.
- And your employer will be able to use similar technology to see what you’re browsing at work, too.
- It’s entirely possible that your employer logs every website you visit while at work.
- Your internet service provider (like BT, Virgin, and so on) will also be able to see what you’re doing online.
- That means the police can also get access to what you view in Incognito Mode, simply by requesting that information from your internet provider.
- The websites you’re using will also be able to track that you’re online on their page, too.
- Google will know where you’re browsing from, and what you’re looking at.
- And if you log into a website, they’ll also be able to keep track of information about you.
- So when you log into Facebook in Incognito Mode, details about what you do on the site will be recorded – just the same as if you were using it in a normal web browser.
- The key point is that Incognito Mode is not a great method of ensuring privacy, because it’s still very easy to track what you’re doing online.
- It’s only really useful for keeping websites out of your browsing history, or logging into a single website on multiple accounts in the same web browser.
