this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2024
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Everytime this is reposted in a new template I remind everyone that no one is using incognito mode to hide from their ISP they are using it to hide from their spouse or partner.
I also use private mode for searching things that I myself would be appalled to find in my own search history.
That's pretty advanced usage - hiding stuff from yourself.
Never underestimate the depths of my shame.
Or occasionally just when I'm looking up something stupid and don't want to see advertisements for the next two weeks for it.
I mainly use it for random things that I don't want to influence my recommendations, like clickbait YouTube videos.
also good for temporarily logging in to an account on a service without logging out of your regular one on main
Literally my usecase for it. Quickly test the browser if it's an issue related zo my account or not.
me too, it doesn't disturb the owner's account and you don't have to worry about whether you logged out afterwards.
Beyond that it's legitimately useful for logging into a second account on a site or for various testing purposes as a web developer. Though if you're consistently using it for the former, containers are a better solution.
Also useful for testing links that might only work if signed in.
For instance, if I share a link to a OneDrive file, will it force the receiver to sign up with Microsoft before they can view the file.
Absolutely! I do that all the time.
...and so that typing in a url doesn't automatically auto fill with a site you'd rather not let anyone else see.
That's an option you can disable, no need for incognito
Yes, but I want auto fill turned on for some websites because they go straight to the section that I want instead of navigating through the site every time.
Eh, or they just don't want a forever history stored on their own computer any more than they want it stored on someone else's computer.
i use private windows mainly so i don't clutter up browser histories with useless stuff i won't go back to (if i do run across something to save, it gets bookmarked or printed to pdf).
Yeah thats why I use Firefox Focus on mobile. It has no feature to save history. I use normal Firefox in case I want to save history or login permanently
I use DDG browser for the same reason; if I want to go back to something I use Firefox on mobile instead.
I’m not even hiding it in the sense that I’m being sneaky. My spouse just rather not see it in the suggestions!
It’s for wanking. That’s it. It only ever goes to pornhub
no there is also a second use. to search answers for questins you're too embarassed about
There is nothing embarrassing about learning something new.
I'm in my thirties, single for years and occasionally make sexual jokes. People know I fap. Everyone faps (huh, could be the title for an educational children's book..), I don't hide my browser history. Other question is who from? I live alone.
What about when when the police go through your computer after you slip and die on a banana peel? That could be embarrassing you know
I mainly use it so my wife doesn't see the stupid crap I look up
No doubt. Whoever’s making these memes obviously wasn’t around when Incognito/Private browsing was introduced. It was never advertised as hiding anything from your ISP.
I use it for Xmas shopping and for when I don't want a site to auto login with any of my sessions.
Firefox containers
Put all your accounts in different containers and just open the page outside of them (also great for multilogging and not being cookie tracked)
I do this as well for work stuff. Multiple tenants and customers. It's great.
That's great for sites you visit routinely but way more hassle than it's worth for one-off visits.
You can have a container for one offs though I don’t think you are worried about them auto logging in
Not even to hide anything from anyone, but to not have porn pop up in suggestions when casually browsing internet.
I do this on both phone and computer, that my wife doesn't even know password to (or care about)
https://www.eldercactus.com/personal-computer/
I use private mode for a whole bunch of stuff, visiting shopping sites i dont want coming up in targeted ads, watching youtube videos that are out of my usual jam and not wanting to get endless suggestions for crap im not into because i wanted to see a plumbing repair how-to or listen to a song wildly out of my usual genres because i was in the mood.
Because different accounts are not possible on every OS, right?
Browser profiles serve very different needs from OS level accounts.
Yes, they do. I use 4 different browser profiles for various things. But everyone who uses my computer while I cannot control what they do, gets their own user account or can use a guest account.
My brother in Christ, you are literally giving an example of how browser profiles and OS accounts solve different problems.
I still don't get what you're trying to say.
Do not let people use your OS account if you don't want them to have access to all of your data, including all of your browser profiles.
Browser profiles are not a security feature.
I've always been used to browser clearing everything on exit. On my phone I set Firefox focus as the default browser so whenever I search anything I just dump it after
Well, some people obviously thought that, hence the lawsuit:
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/01/tech/google-to-delete-data-records-to-settle-incognito-lawsuit/index.html
Sometimes to browse deals on hotels, planes, ISP, mobile cell providers, but mostly porn