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Google is updating the warning about Chrome’s incognito mode to make clear that Google and websites run by other companies can still collect your data in the web browser’s semi-private mode.
The change is being made as Google prepares to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of privacy violations related to Chrome’s incognito mode. The expanded warning was recently added to Chrome Canary, a nightly release for developers. The warning appears to directly address one of the lawsuit’s complaints, which is that the incognito mode warning doesn’t make it clear that Google collects data from private mode users.
Many tech-savvy people already know that although private modes in web browsers prevent some data from being stored on your device, they do not prevent tracking by websites or ISPs. But many other people may not understand exactly what Incognito Mode does, so a more specific warning can help educate users.
The new warning that appears in Chrome Canary when you open an incognito window says: “You’ve gone into incognito mode. Others using this device won’t be able to see your activity, so you can browse more privately. This won’t change how data is collected by websites that You visit and the services you use, including Google.” The wording may be interpreted to refer to Google and third-party websites, including third-party websites that rely on Google advertising services.
The new warning is not yet present in developer branches, beta, and stable versions of Chrome as of today. It also wasn’t present in Chromium. The change to Canary was previously reported by MSPowerUser.
“Now you can browse privately”
Incognito mode in the stable version of Chrome still says: “You’ve switched to incognito mode. You can now browse privately, and other people using this device won’t be able to see your activity.” Among other changes, the Canary Warning replaces the phrase “browse more privately” with “browse more privately.”
Static warnings and Canary warnings indicate that your browsing activity may remain visible to “websites you visit,” “your employer or school,” or “your ISP.” But only the Canary warning currently includes a warning that incognito mode “won’t change how data is collected by the websites you visit and services you use, including Google.”
The old and new warnings say that incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving your browsing history, cookies, site data, and information entered into forms, but “downloads, bookmarks, and reading list items will be saved.” Both warnings link to this page, which provides more details about incognito mode.
We asked Google when the warning will be added to the Chrome stable channel and whether the change was forced or related to the pending settlement of the privacy class action. Google did not provide specific answers but did provide this statement: “We are pleased to resolve this situation, which we have long opposed, and provide more information to users about Incognito Mode. Chrome’s Incognito Mode will continue to give people the choice to browse the Internet without saving their activity to the browser or device.” “Their own.”
The lawsuit began in the US District Court for the Northern District of California in June 2020. On December 26, 2023, Google and the plaintiffs announced that they had reached a settlement that they intended to submit to the court for approval within 60 days. The jury trial was previously scheduled to begin on February 5.