Is incognito now becoming private?

If you do not want family members to be able to see which paths have been taken through the Internet, the incognito mode of the Google Chrome browser provides simple and comfortable help. The mode keeps what its name promises and ensures that a tracking over the browser history is not possible. Especially users who like to travel on erotic and dating sites like to use this mode. But obviously there is still a little need for information on what incognito mode really means.

As it has now become known, Google is currently using the Chrome browser to test the renaming of incognito to private in some countries. Actually, it is nothing new and unusual that one tests different innovations in the home Google. But rarely a name change is made to fixed functions; though it seems like it’s just about to happen, at least for the Android version of the browser. And next to the browser version, there is another restriction: The renaming will not happen everywhere, but rather only in the non-English speaking countries.

But why could this change happen? The reason is probably to be found in a study that was recently published. This showed that many users have a completely wrong understanding of the incognito mode of their browser. They are aware that after closing, they delete cookies, browsing history and temporary files – but they also expect much more from him. Many believe that in the incognito mode, no data is transmitted so, for example, their location can not be determined. Nearly half even think that bookmarks created in this mode will disappear soon. More than a quarter also think that the incognito mode offers more protection against viruses and malware, because one moves undetected through the Internet. In addition, some also believe that they cannot be tracked by the ISP, government agencies or the employer when the mode is activated.

Whether a renaming of incognito in private eliminates these misconceptions, is still unclear. But that’s exactly what Google wants to find out with the tests. On the other hand, of course, education would be a good idea – although it is certainly not easy to reach the users with it.

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