Weeks after agreeing to settle a lawsuit alleging that Google illegally tracked browsing activity even after users activated Chrome’s incognito mode, the company quietly updated the way the browser describes its private browsing capabilities.Updated text, discoverer microsoft power usercan be found in the latest Canary version of Google Chrome (version 122.0.6251.0).
Here is the updated text (emphasis added):
“Others using this device won’t see your activity, so you can browse more privately. This does not change how data is collected by the websites you visit and the services you use, including Google. Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved. learn more”
In comparison, the current stable version of Chrome displays this text when you open a new incognito tab:
“You can now browse privately and your activity will not be visible to others using this device. However, downloads, bookmarks, and reading list items will be saved. Learn more”
However, the bullet points below the incognito notification remain the same. These note that browsing activity may still be visible to “the sites you visit,” “your employer or school,” and “your Internet service provider.”
Google’s changes to the notification are noteworthy because the company previously cited them as evidence that it informed users about the types of tracking that were still possible in Incognito mode. “As we make clear, each time you open a new incognito tab, the website may be able to collect information about your browsing activity during the session,” spokesman José Castañeda said. edge in a statement last year. But Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wasn’t convinced by that argument when she denied Google’s request for summary judgment last August.
art technology It was reported last month that Google and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit had reached an agreement on settlement terms. These will be submitted to the court in January, with final approval expected by the end of February.
