Google updates disclaimer for using Chrome’s incognito mode greater clarity and transparency How far does privacy protection and data collection go, which also occurs when using this special feature of your browser?

Chrome’s new incognito mode pages have started appearing in the trial version Canary on Android, Windows and other platforms and we expect to be implemented in stable versions soon. The move follows an out-of-court settlement reached by Google to end a $5 billion class-action lawsuit.

As you know, Chrome’s (and other browsers’) incognito mode is a feature aimed at protecting user privacy and security. A temporary private browsing session that does not share data with the browser, does not store website information, browsing history, web cache, passwords, form information, cookies or other website data, deleting these or other temporary files when we end the session.

Or was it a theory… In 2020, a lawsuit seeking to become a class action was filed in Federal Court in San José, California, seeking $5 billion in damages. In it, Google was accused of maintaining a “advanced data tracking business” by tracking data, even if users have taken steps to protect their private information by using Chrome’s incognito mode.

Google did not deny the majority, but defended itself by explaining that the operation of this mode was clearly expressed every time it was used and that Incognito did not mean invisible and that the user’s activity during this session may be visible to the websites visited.

A California court accepted the lawsuit, and Google faced trial for allegedly violating California privacy laws and federal wiretapping regulations. Serious accusations that Google didn’t want to face because sure The policies in this regime were not at all clear and even internal documents of several executives advised Sundar Pichai clarify the situationstop calling it “anonymous” and even change the Spy Guy icon.

Google has reached an external agreement not to sue and has changed its disclaimer for using this feature. The main change is to note that the websites we visit may collect data and track our online activity. It also details that Chrome will store browsing history, cookies or form data, and that activity may be visible on the websites you visit.

We’ve already noted several times that “Private Browsing” (although very useful in several scenarios), Not the same as “Browsing Anonymously”, a feature that requires other more advanced tools like TOR. Bottom Line: Chrome’s Incognito Mode isn’t anonymous and doesn’t offer much privacy. The changes in Google’s statement are subtle but better reflect that reality and are likely part of an agreement to end the class action in the case, which is expected to end next February.