Google Chrome has reportedly updated the message that users see when
they're in "incognito mode" following the settlement of a $5 billion
privacy lawsuit.

Google added a disclaimer that the privacy function still collects user
data that websites and services can access, according to the Verge, which
said MSPowerUser first spotted the change.

The new message is only visible on the latest version of Google Chrome,
the Verge reported. The previous message is still visible for some Chrome
users.

Parts of the disclaimer remain untouched like the bullet points that
clarifies that websites, employers, schools and internet service providers
can view activity. The page also states that browsing history, cookies,
site data and information entered in forms are not saved in incognito
mode.

Original and updated incognito mode messages comparison

https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-
images/2024/01/18/USAT/72262232007-screenshot-
308.png?width=660&height=477&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp

The previous message reads: "Now you can browse privately, and other
people who use this device won�t see your activity. However, downloads,
bookmarks and reading list items will be saved. Learn more."

According to the Verge, the new message reads: "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. Learn more.�

The previous message also gave users the option to block third-party
cookies that primarily prevents sites from tracking internet activity.

Lawsuit alleged Google spied on users
The update comes after the company agreed on Dec. 28 to settle a $5
billion class-action lawsuit alleging the platform used private browsers
to track internet use, according to the Associated Press.

The privacy lawsuit filed in 2020 alleged that Google misled users into
thinking their internet activities would be off limits to the company.
Plaintiffs also claimed that the company used advertising technologies to
catalog their site visits and used an "unaccountable trove of information"
under the false perception of privacy.

The settlement still requires approval by a federal judge and AP reported
that the final settlement agreement will be presented in court by Feb. 24.

"We�re pleased to resolve this case, which we�ve long disputed, and will
provide even more information to users about Incognito Mode," Google
spokesperson Jos� Casta�eda said in a statement. "Incognito mode in Chrome
will continue to give people the choice to browse the internet without
their activity being saved to their browser or device."

Google did not respond to USA TODAY's questions about the updated
incognito mode disclaimer.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2024/01/17/google-chrome-incognito-
mode-data-disclaimer/72260401007/

I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.

cr0c0d1le wrote:

> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.

Good luck with that. I don't have it on any of my
machines, but when I tried to renew my amateur radio
license this week I ran into a problem.

The fcc.gov website will only work in Chrome or Edge.

After two days of trying work-arounds and other
browsers, I finally ended up going to a neighbor's
and using her desktop with Win10 and Edge. The transaction
went right through.

I was also told by an fcc "help desk" person that
the site would not work with Safari either, so Mac
users are out of luck unless they download Chrome.

Tying a government website that millions of people
*have* to use to a Google product known for its
privacy and security issues is not a good decision
on the developers' part. I'm wondering at what level
the decision was made.

Nyssa, who doesn't have to worry about using that
website again for ten years, so can only hope that
somebody wises up before that and makes the government
websites browser-neutral

Nyssa wrote:

>The fcc.gov website will only work in Chrome or Edge.

Working very well here with Vivaldi for Linux (Chromium-based).

-jw-

--

And now for something completely different...

It's IE6 all over again. The difference between now and twenty years ago
when Firefox came out is that building a web browser is way more
complicated. I might have to settle for De-Googled Chrome (Chromium)
eventually.

Nyssa wrote:
>
> Tying a government website that millions of people
> have to use to a Google product known for its
> privacy and security issues is not a good decision
> on the developers' part. I'm wondering at what level
> the decision was made.

From the top!

Governments generally do not like it's citizens to be private in what
they do...

Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.

I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data they
want because they already have it.

--
Ottavio Caruso

On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:

>
>
> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>
> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data they want
> because they already have it.

Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there are so
many other free and more private options like disroot, riseup, tutanota,
posteo etc.

Am 22/01/2024 um 12:57 schrieb D:
>
>
> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>>
>> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data
>> they want because they already have it.
>
> Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there are so
> many other free and more private options like disroot, riseup, tutanota,
> posteo etc.
>

Who says I am not using them too?

--
Ottavio Caruso

On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:

>
>
> Am 22/01/2024 um 12:57 schrieb D:
>>
>>
>> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>>>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>>>
>>> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data they
>>> want because they already have it.
>>
>> Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there are so
>> many other free and more private options like disroot, riseup, tutanota,
>> posteo etc.
>>
>
> Who says I am not using them too?
>
>

You tell me!

Am 23/01/2024 um 13:12 schrieb D:
>
>
> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Am 22/01/2024 um 12:57 schrieb D:
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>>>>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>>>>
>>>> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data
>>>> they want because they already have it.
>>>
>>> Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there are
>>> so many other free and more private options like disroot, riseup,
>>> tutanota, posteo etc.
>>>
>>
>> Who says I am not using them too?
>>
>>
>
> You tell me!

You are taking liberties.

--
Ottavio Caruso

On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:

> Am 23/01/2024 um 13:12 schrieb D:
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 22/01/2024 um 12:57 schrieb D:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>>>>>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>>>>>
>>>>> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data they
>>>>> want because they already have it.
>>>>
>>>> Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there are so
>>>> many other free and more private options like disroot, riseup, tutanota,
>>>> posteo etc.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Who says I am not using them too?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> You tell me!
>
> You are taking liberties.
>
>

I don't understand what you are saying. You make no sense.

Am 24/01/2024 um 09:28 schrieb D:
>
> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>
>> Am 23/01/2024 um 13:12 schrieb D:
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Am 22/01/2024 um 12:57 schrieb D:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024, Ottavio Caruso wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Am 21/01/2024 um 14:50 schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>>>>>>> I ain't touching Chrome with a ten-foot pole.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I only use Chrome for Gmail and that's it. They can steal any data
>>>>>> they want because they already have it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Genuinely curious question... why would you use gmail when there
>>>>> are so many other free and more private options like disroot,
>>>>> riseup, tutanota, posteo etc.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Who says I am not using them too?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> You tell me!
>>
>> You are taking liberties.
>>
>>
>
> I don't understand what you are saying. You make no sense.

Possibly because you are American.

--
Ottavio Caruso