Google Chrome: How safe is "Incognito mode"?

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Is "Incognito" safer than proxies or anonymizer sites?

The visited sites history and cookies will be automatically deleted as soon as a tab is closed in "Incognito", but the data still exist at the sites we have visited, and at times some files may be saved during a session. Is it possible to clear this too?

Harish

Posted 2012-04-24T14:37:39.717

Reputation: 124

1As safe as the person using it. – Tamara Wijsman – 2012-09-04T20:41:00.747

Answers

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See Google's own explanation.

Your IP is not hidden in any way when surfing in "incognito mode". It only affects what is stored on your personal computer. If you explicitly download a file to the hard drive, it is not erased when closing the browser, but cookies, etc., are.

A proxy in itself will hide your personal IP, but instead won't help you with tracking cookies that are stored on your personal computer. "Incognito mode" and proxies function in different domains, in that way.

Daniel Andersson

Posted 2012-04-24T14:37:39.717

Reputation: 20 465

2

From the information that appears when you open a new incognito window:

Going Incognito doesn't affect the behaviour of other people, servers or software. Be wary of:

  • Websites that collect or share information about you
  • Internet service providers or employers that track the pages you visit
  • Malicious software that tracks your keystrokes in exchange for free smileys
  • Surveillance by secret agents
  • People standing behind you

So, the data on sites you visited will still exist on the websites themselves, on your ISP's and employers servers and anywhere in between. I don't think you can easily clear this (if at all).

ChrisF

Posted 2012-04-24T14:37:39.717

Reputation: 39 650

You can't clear it but you can use a VPN or proxy to encrypt the data and make it harder for your ISP to see it. – Jon – 2013-07-11T19:01:29.367

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"The trouble with Google Chrome's incognito mode is actually down at least in part to Google's own desire to store information about users' surfing habits - it uses this kind of information not only to improve its own searching algorithms but also sell more targeted advertising opportunities to advertisers.

So it seems that if you sign into your Google Account on http://www.google.com while in incognito mode, your subsequent web searches are recorded in your Google Web History. That might not seem so bad, except that it may be that more than one person in your household shares a single Google Account, potentially making your web surfing rather less than 'incognito'. "

I agree with these Words , Source

Veronica Wilson

Posted 2012-04-24T14:37:39.717

Reputation: 11

0

You should not consider any browser "incognito mode" safe relative to a proxy or anonymizer. All the browser can do is delete or not track history and delete cookies (and possibly local storage?) on closing. This means that any external client, especially the website you are visiting, can track you pretty much the same as if you were't browsing incognito.

Explosion Pills

Posted 2012-04-24T14:37:39.717

Reputation: 569