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The Incognito Mode Myth Has Fully Unraveled (www.wired.com)

submitted 7 months ago by jeffw to c/technology

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[–] tb_ 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

it's always been upfront

The language it uses/used to use was rather ambiguous, especially for less tech savvy people.

Perhaps it wasn't false, but it definitely wasn't upfront.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (2 children)

What about it is ambiguous or not written for less tech savvy people?

[–] tb_ 3 points 7 months ago (3 children)

You do know they updated it soon after this became a major thing, right?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

That linked picture is at least from 2017 from a quick research. What they clarify now in the latest update is that Google is not exempt from tracking your activity.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I don't know that actually. I recall similar wording going back to when Incognito tabs were launched.

Got a source on that?

[–] tb_ 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Google quietly updates Chrome’s incognito warning in wake of tracking lawsuit

[...]

Here’s the updated text (emphasis added):

“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. Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24039883/google-incognito-mode-tracking-lawsuit-notice-change

The text in that article is different from your screenshot, I don't know what's up with that. Perhaps it's regional.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

I believe the one I posted is older, based on the logo.

So looks like they've updated multiple times, each more reader-friendly than the last...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They might have changed the wording, but it's been insanely clear for many years, and it never at any point implied it changed anything about what websites did.

[–] tb_ 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You and I may have known, but

it's been insanely clear for many years

If it had been clear it wouldn't have become an issue.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

It isn't an issue. The exact wording might have changed, but the content has been identical for years and years. It included "sites and others who can see your traffic can do whatever the hell they want" the whole time, in entirely unambiguous idiot proof language.

This is an imaginary horseshit lawsuit. It was not possible to read the very obvious text and be misled about what incognito mode did or didn't do at any point, and it was automatically displayed in every tab. There was never at any point any possible room for confusion.