People who think google incognito mode would mean privacy are just naive

[noname223]

There were reports about the google employees who joked about the poor privacy standard of the incognito mode. I think there were statistics that many people overestimate its value of privacy way too much when they use it.
I mean I am an idiot concerning information technology but even for me it was clear this is not safe at all. Maybe it is good enough to protect the search history from other family members because my parents are even way worse at IT stuff than me.

I will link an article of a newswebsite.

Google employees joked about how ‘Incognito mode’ is ‘not truly private’

Google employees cracked jokes about the Chrome browser’s “Incognito Mode” and criticized the company for not living up to its users’ expectations for privacy, according to a series of intern…

nypost.com

Here some quotes.

"More than half of users falsely believe using Incognito mode prevents Google from seeing what they search online, according to a 2018 study from the University of Chicago and the Leibniz University of Hanover. In addition, more than 40% falsely think that Incognito prevents websites from estimating their location, according to the study."

"We need to stop calling it Incognito and stop using a Spy Guy icon," one Google engineer wrote in 2018 with a link to the study about users overestimating Incognito's protections.

Another employee proposed changing Incognito's launch screen to say: "You are NOT protected from Google."

I think some users had the insane idea that you cannot be traced back when you use it. Probably only a small minority though.

But one has to say to their defence google is also not upfront when they market the product. There are currently lawsuits because of that. I hope they sue the shit out of google/Alphabet.


What do you think about it?

 

[makethepainstop]

I guess I'm toast! Oh well, life is a risk. A risk some of us don't want.

 

[noname223]

I guess I'm toast! Oh well, life is a risk. A risk some of us don't want.

Do not want to offend you. But have you really thought google incognito mode hides your IP for example?
Or is this a joke?

 

[makethepainstop]

Do not want to offend you. But have you really thought google incognito mode hides your IP for example?
Or is this a joke?

Actually I don't give a damn, so more of a joke+

 

[CassieHoward]

anyone who actually believes in the concept of privacy in today's society is naive beyond belief

 

[LastFlowers]

Do not want to offend you. But have you really thought google incognito mode hides your IP for example?
Or is this a joke?

I usually just use it so that I can sign into the same site on two different accounts at once or something (not here obviously).
I thought it only neglected to save my history for my own self..which is actually somewhat annoying more than anything.
Not that it stopped google or anyone else from seeing what/where I visited.

I've also got over 200 tabs open on my device, so private browsing helps to prevent me from keeping any other tabs open on top of that.
Forcing me to start from scratch.

anyone who actually believes in the concept of privacy in today's society is naive beyond belief

Or they're just elderly, don't give a rat's ass and/or simply uninformed..too tired to inform themselves..etc

 

[Mir88]

I just like to have my researches and links not pop up in the suggestions when someone might see my desktop, I am fully aware of the risible privacy standards of "private mode", but it's useful on my side nonetheless.

 

[namelessX8]

well i could write a treatise on internet privacy but I will just refer you to SS's own recommendations on the Rules and FAQ page :

My privacy is essential to me. Do you have any tips for me?

• Don't post personal information (name, address, phone, email, pictures, etc).
• Use a unique username for every website you use.
• Use a proxy/VPN once you are registered.
• Tweak your preferences and privacy options to your liking here.
• Use a secure or disposable email provider.

Privacy is very important to me. More tips?

• Learn the difference between being careful and being paranoid.
• Avoid social media and delete your profiles.
• Search yourself or reverse search your pictures and delete everything that comes up.
• Don't use Google (DuckDuckGo and Startpage are good alternatives).
• Change your DNS to a privacy-first DNSs. Cloudflare is a fast and decent alternative.
• Use Firefox, Waterfox, Brave, or Opera. Never Chrome.
• Set your browser to delete browsing data on close or use Tor (albeit it is slower).
• Learn how to make a good password and never use the same twice.
• The websites you registered accounts on five years ago and don't use anymore? Log in and delete them.
• Don't put your name in your email (e.g., [email protected]).
• Avoid using Windows if possible, especially Windows 10 - it's a privacy nightmare. We know this is hard to avoid.
• Malwarebytes is a decent antivirus, run it manually every week or two (you have to pay for automatic checks).
• Learn how to manage your firewall in the OS of your choice.
• Learn about EXIF in pictures, how they store identifiable information, and learn how to erase it.

In addition to the above, if you are really concerned about privacy, install the Tails operating system on a USB stick, boot up your computer from the USB stick and then use tor browser (which comes preinstalled with TailsOS).

 

[Julgran]

There were reports about the google employees who joked about the poor privacy standard of the incognito mode. I think there were statistics that many people overestimate its value of privacy way too much when they use it.
I mean I am an idiot concerning information technology but even for me it was clear this is not safe at all. Maybe it is good enough to protect the search history from other family members because my parents are even way worse at IT stuff than me.

I will link an article of a newswebsite.

Google employees joked about how ‘Incognito mode’ is ‘not truly private’

Google employees cracked jokes about the Chrome browser’s “Incognito Mode” and criticized the company for not living up to its users’ expectations for privacy, according to a series of intern…

nypost.com

Here some quotes.

"More than half of users falsely believe using Incognito mode prevents Google from seeing what they search online, according to a 2018 study from the University of Chicago and the Leibniz University of Hanover. In addition, more than 40% falsely think that Incognito prevents websites from estimating their location, according to the study."

"We need to stop calling it Incognito and stop using a Spy Guy icon," one Google engineer wrote in 2018 with a link to the study about users overestimating Incognito's protections.

Another employee proposed changing Incognito's launch screen to say: "You are NOT protected from Google."

I think some users had the insane idea that you cannot be traced back when you use it. Probably only a small minority though.

But one has to say to their defence google is also not upfront when they market the product. There are currently lawsuits because of that. I hope they sue the shit out of google/Alphabet.


What do you think about it?

Nothing that happens through the Internet is truly private. The NSA is probably laughing at those ignorant Google employees...

Basically, every person on this globe is ignorant up to the level where their own knowledge falters - and then they keep believing that they are smart - that's us - humans...

 

[Hirokami]

People actually think Incognito mode is Tor/VPN levels of private? I thought it was common knowledge that it doesn't work like that.

 

[LucyB]

People who think we have any privacy at all in this evil ass world are just naive.

 

[GrumpyFrog]

I'm not sure if I'm surprised that people expected that Google Chrome Incognito Mode hides their information FROM Google. I was actually surprised when they added a disclaimer that explains what Incognito mode does that comes up when you open an Incognito window, I thought it was pretty self-explanatory, but I might be mistaken.
Incognito mode is intended to hide your Internet activity from other users that use the same device. That's it, that's all it does. I think it's purpose might be muddy in the modern world where everyone has their personal smartphone in their pocket, it was much clearer back in 2007 when I was 15 and looked up tiddies on the computer that I shared with my mom. It, however, does absolutely nothing to hide your activities from other people on the Internet and I'm not sure where people got the idea that it would, other than associations with the spy picture.

 

[ClownW0rld]

Lack of privacy is a big reason I've become depressed/suicidal. Everything you do is logged, tracked, recorded, etc. it's very unsettling. It feels like you have no freedom. I don't intend on doing anything bad/illegal either, I just don't like the feeling of constantly being watched. It's uncomfortable.

 

[Dead Ghost]

I basically use it so that there is no record on the computer... so that if something happens to me, no one will rummage through my things. I've always cared if third parties have access, be it the police or the company that provides access to the network, but I guess that's because I don't commit any illegality where I live (that I know of).

//

Jo es que bàsicament l'uso perquè no quedi constància a l'ordinador... perque si em passa res ningú remeni les meves coses. Sempre m'ha donat igual que tercers en tinguin accés, sigui la polícia o la compañía que dona l'accés a la xarxa, però suposo que es perquè no cometo cap ilegalitat allà on resideixo (que jo sàpiga).

 

[makethepainstop]

If any government or agency wants to know about you, they will find out! So after awhile I said screw it, let me look.

 

[archipelago]

Lack of privacy is a big reason I've become depressed/suicidal. Everything you do is logged, tracked, recorded, etc. it's very unsettling. It feels like you have no freedom. I don't intend on doing anything bad/illegal either, I just don't like the feeling of constantly being watched. It's uncomfortable.

While it's not the major reason for me being depressed, I absolutely agree that it makes me uncomfortable. Not having privacy makes me feel isolated.

 

[Sakura94]

Future is murder

 

[Dead Ghost]

Future is murder

Didn't you get POST wrong?

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/ur-parents-murder-u-by-giving-birth-to-u.101615/

//

No t'has equivocat de POST?

 

[WhatPowerIs]

Lack of privacy is a big reason I've become depressed/suicidal. Everything you do is logged, tracked, recorded, etc. it's very unsettling. It feels like you have no freedom. I don't intend on doing anything bad/illegal either, I just don't like the feeling of constantly being watched. It's uncomfortable.

Sometimes it isn't even the government that's watching me, it's like there's a whole civilian surveillance system going on. Giving everybody a smartphone, a camera in their pocket, had to have been a mistake of some kind because in school classmates of mine, whether I was close with them or not, would take pictures of me that they thought were funny or would record videos of me without my permission. Take a look at the big social media platforms, how many people are being recorded and posted online without their permission? A staggering amount. It's honestly very scary.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

Of course incognito mode is totally private. I mean when Google busts out the Sherlock Holmes clipart you know you're good to go.

 

[Sakura94]

Didn't you get POST wrong?

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/ur-parents-murder-u-by-giving-birth-to-u.101615/

//

No t'has equivocat de POST?

No I do not share the anti-parent philosophy of this site. The future that reduces people to data collection points is murder. I don't think most parents wanted that when they have birth.

 

[Dead Ghost]

No I do not share the anti-parent philosophy of this site. The future that reduces people to data collection points is murder. I don't think most parents wanted that when they have birth.

Sorry
//
Perdò

 

[kiuya]

Sometimes it isn't even the government that's watching me, it's like there's a whole civilian surveillance system going on. Giving everybody a smartphone, a camera in their pocket, had to have been a mistake of some kind because in school classmates of mine, whether I was close with them or not, would take pictures of me that they thought were funny or would record videos of me without my permission. Take a look at the big social media platforms, how many people are being recorded and posted online without their permission? A staggering amount. It's honestly very scary.

This made me remember that most of colleges and universities have social media accounts. I've had to ask the photographers to not post my face on anything and it's so annoying! I don't want to be in anyone's promo material and when I ask to not be in it other students act like I'm being unreasonable..

 

[WhatPowerIs]

This made me remember that most of colleges and universities have social media accounts. I've had to ask the photographers to not post my face on anything and it's so annoying! I don't want to be in anyone's promo material and when I ask to not be in it other students act like I'm being unreasonable..

Yes I can imagine how totally aggravating that must be. I really value my privacy and I would prefer NOT to be posted anywhere on social media but lots of people don't like respecting boundaries.