Incognito mode in Google Chrome changed

Within a few weeks after agreeing to the settlement in lawsuits accusing Google of tracking user browsing activity illegally, even when the Incognito mode in Chrome is enabled. The Incognito mode in Google Chrome changed after losing in court, the company quietly updated its personal browsing description. This latest text was discovered by researchers in the latest Canary version of Google Chrome, which is version 122.0.6251.0.

Changes to the description of the personal mode

The updated description for Private Mode is as follows: “Other users who use this device will not be able to see your activities, allowing you to browse more personally. This does not affect the collection of data by the websites you visit and the services you use, including Google. Downloads, bookmarks and saved read list items.”

For comparison, the description of the personal mode in the current stable version of Chrome is as follows: “Now you can browse in private and others using this device will not be able to see your activities. However, downloads, bookmarks, and reading list items remain.”

Additional information under the description of the “Incognito” mode remains unchanged. Users’ online activities can still be seen by:

• “sites you visit”;
• “to your employer or school”;
• “Your internet service provider.”

The changes made by Google on this notice are worth noting because the company previously used it as evidence to inform the user of all types of tracking that could occur in Incognito mode. “We explain that every time you open a new tab in Incognito mode, the website may collect information about your browsing activity during the session,” Google spokesman José Castañeda said last year.

However, this argument did not convince the court and rejected Google’s summary court request in August. Last month it was reported that Google and the plaintiffs had agreed to the terms of settlement. They will be delivered to court in January, with the final decision expected at the end of February.

Conclusion

Updates to the description of the Google Chrome Incognito mode are important points of concern in this development. A step that reflects changes in the strategy of delivering information to users. With a more detailed explanation, Google seeks to provide a better understanding of privacy and tracking in Incognito mode. However, the actual impact of this change on user perceptions and the results of upcoming trials remains an interesting thing to observe. All eyes are on the final decision at the end of February.