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

Weeks after that accused Google of illegally tracking browsing activity even after users activated Chrome’s incognito mode, the company has quietly updated how the browser describes its private browsing feature. The updated text, , can be found in the latest Canary build of Google Chrome, version 122.0.6251.0.

Here’s the updated text (emphasis added): In contrast, here’s the text Chrome’s current stable version shows when you open a new incognito tab: However, the bullets beneath the incognito notice remain unchanged. These point out that browsing activity might still be visible to “Websites you visit,” “Your employer or school,” and “Your internet service provider.” Google’s change to the notice is notable because the company previously cited it as evidence that the company informed users about the types of tracking that can still take place in incognito mode.

“As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session,” spokesperson José Castañeda told in a statement last year. But when she denied Google’s bid for summary judgment in August last year. last month that Google and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit had agreed to settlement terms.

These will be presented to the court in January, with final approval coming by the end of February. /.