The incognito mode mode in Google Chrome is pretty much the option where users go thinking their data is safe and ‘private’. It is also a mode where users might feel that their data isn’t being shared with others. Google landed in a soup a few years ago when it was accused of sharing users’ data in incognito mode as well. However, it looks like that Chrome’s incognito mode is pretty much useless and it took $5 billion for Google to admit it.
According to a report by MSPowerUser, Google Chrome’s next update — currently in beta mode — will inform users that “You’ve gone Incognito 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.”
Google’s new message to users
Earlier, Google Chrome users going incognito would see 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.” Google has added — actually it has been forced to add — that going incognito will not ensure that your data won’t be collected by other websites, including Google.
So, the incognito mode in Chrome will not tell anyone else what you’ve browsed but Google will know. The whole point of going incognito is that your privacy and data is maintained. Apple’s Safari browser or even DuckDuckGo’s incognito or private browsing made claim not to share any data with third-party websites at all.
A lawsuit was filed against Google in 2020 covering millions of Google users alleging that users were misled. In December 2023, Google finally agreed to settle the case and will have to fork out $5 billion in damages.