Google Is Deleting Millions Of ‘Incognito Mode’ Searches
If you believed that using Incognito mode meant Google wasn’t tracking your online activities in Chrome, you were mistaken. Fortunately, the company is making things right. Google is deleting millions of users’ search data from Incognito mode.
According to Google, Chrome Incognito keeps your browsing private from other people who use your device. When you first open a new Incognito window, you’re creating a new Incognito browsing session. Any Incognito windows you open after that are part of the same session. You can end that Incognito session by closing all open Incognito windows.
In Incognito, none of your browsing history, cookies, site data, or information entered in forms are saved on your device. This means your activity doesn’t show up in your Chrome browser history, so people who also use your device won’t see your activity. Websites see you as a new user and won’t know who you are, as long as you don’t sign in. “If you’re browsing in Chrome Incognito mode, you are, by default, not signed into any accounts or sites,” they said. They also mentioned that your school, internet service provider, or any parental tracking software may be able to see your activity.
Google’s class-action lawsuit involving Incognito Mode.
Apparently, Google has been collecting information from Incognito sessions and as part of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit that alleged it tracked people without their knowledge. TIME reported that the case filed in 2020 alleged the Alphabet Inc. unit collected data from people using its popular Chrome web browser in a private “incognito” browsing mode. While that function lets users turn off data collection when using the Chrome browser, other Google tools used by websites, such as advertising technology, scoop up their data anyway, according to the suit.
The Verge reported that part of the agreement includes changes to how Google discloses the limits of its private browsing services, which the company has already begun rolling out on Chrome. Google also agreed for five years to let users block third-party cookies by default in Incognito mode to keep Google from tracking users on outside websites while they’re in private browsing.
According to the court filing, the proposal was valued at $5 billion, which was calculated by determining the value of data Google has stored. Google would need to address data collected in private browsing mode in December 2023 and earlier. Any data that is not “outright deleted must be de-identified.”
People can still file claims for damages in California state court according to CNN. They said 50 claims have already been filed.
Vintage Gadgets: Outdated Tech That Still Sparks Joy
A Physical Calculator
You probably haven’t seen a calculator in ages, but a Reddit user chimed in to say that, for them, the old-school scientific calculator beats the one on your phone or any app. They simply put it like this, “Honestly, a standard scientific calculator is just easier to use than your phone’s built-in scientific calculator.” It could be the fun button-tapping sound or the nostalgic thrill of typing in cheeky words with numbers that makes this person prefer calculators.
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Watches That Only Tell The Time
Smartwatches may pack in loads of features, but there’s a catch – they need regular charging and maintenance, and their battery life is shorter. On the flip side, traditional watches are a low-maintenance choice with longer battery life. In fact, a Redditor mentioned they still rock a “a lovely, inexpensive, bombproof, analog, big face Casio.” They also pointed out that smartwatches aren’t allowed at their job, so their trusty Casio gets the job done.
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CD Player, MP3 Player, and Vinyl Albums
If you’ve put a ton of effort into collecting CDs and vinyl records, and creating some killer playlists, why ditch them, right? One person told their story about growing up in the ’90s, building a massive CD collection, and stashing them all in one of those Case Logic CD binders. They fondly shared, “I still keep it with me in my car and it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane every time I open it. I laughed and cried a little when my kids friend asked me what it was and I said, ‘CDs’ and they followed up with, ‘What’s that?'” But also: not everything is available on streaming services. That obscure soundtrack or tribute album from the ’80s? Licensing issues may have prevented it from hitting the streamers. Love Joni Mitchell? Well, Spotify doesn’t have her catalog. Sure, you can subscribe to another service, but if you kept your old vinyl and have a turntable, you can listen to it the old school way.
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"I Love Wires"
You have people who can’t stand a tangle of wires in their tech setup, and then there’s that Reddit user who’s all about the wired life. They firmly believe that wired networking is “not obsolete or outdated.” According to them, it’s superior in every aspect, except for the mobility it lacks compared to wireless. They put it simply, “Wired is the ideal, you only go wireless if running cable is unfeasible for the situation.
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A Regular Doorbell
A regular doorbell does its job well. It lets you know someone’s at the door. On the other hand, a video doorbell does the same but with the perk of letting you see and hear the person at your door, even if you’re not home. Someone mentioned they’d be up for a smart doorbell if it kept the data local. They said, “I don’t want anything being sent online, so I might need to set up my own system… I’ll just stick with the traditional kind.”
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Physical Buttons
A Redditor shared their affection for good old physical buttons, arguing that not everything needs to go the touchscreen route. They stressed the importance of having car radios equipped with buttons rather than screens, believing it’s a safer choice. They explained, “It’s easier for me to push a button to change the music while keeping my eyes on the road/ I can’t do that if my car has a screen. It increases distracted driving incidents.”
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