Google’s Incognito Mode might not be what you think

Google is embroiled in a huge lawsuit over the misleading amount of privacy its incognito function actually offers
incognito mode button


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When you click on Incognito Mode, what do you think happens? Your data is hidden? Websites can’t access your browsing habits? Your internet hosts can’t see what you’re up to? If you think the answer is yes to any of those, you’d be dead wrong.

Bad news for teenagers. Google knows, even if mum and dad don’t.

Google has already been embroiled in a $5 billion lawsuit over the ambiguous purpose of the Incognito feature on its browsers, but new in-company messages and even jokes between upper management are highlighting the misleadingly little amount of protection it actually offers. One email from Google’s marketing chief pointed out that her team was having to use “fuzzy, hedging language” to promote the service because it wasn’t truly private.

In reality, Incognito Mode provides very little privacy. Its only real attribute is preventing the user’s browsing history from being recorded on that device. Perfect for disguising a secret getaway you’ve booked for your SO, but pointless for protecting yourself from data collection or hacking. Grab a VPN instead. It’s one of the few ways to make yourself properly secure.

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