Google Chrome Incognito mode is changing! All you need to know

Google Chrome Incognito mode allows users to access websites more privately than the usual browser. As per a metro report, Chrome’s Incognito mode does not store information such as browsing history, and cookies and site data which allows the users to access the websites more privately. To maintain this activity, Google disables some background features, such as FileSystem API which avoids leaving traces of activity on someone’s device. 

Incognito mode features could be used by the publishers to work out when people are trying to dodge paywalls. Some news websites offer a limited number of free articles, before telling users they need to subscribe, but with Incognito, people can essentially reset their count and access more articles for free.

Reportedly, the firm said it will roll out a remedy for the loophole by the end of July but sought to reassure publishers of the impact. The move will be seen as a blow to some news websites who have long-struggled to monetise journalism online. 

Google also claims that the change is necessary to protect people under political oppression or subjected to domestic abuse, who may have important safety reasons for concealing their web activity.

The company also said that the publishers monitor the effect of the FileSystem API change before taking reactive measures since any impact on user behaviour may be different than expected and any change in meter strategy will impact all users, not just those using Incognito mode.

They said that the News teams support sites with meter strategies and recognise the goal of reducing meter circumvention, however, any approach based on private browsing detection undermines the principles of Incognito mode.