Watching PORN on your internet browser's private mode isn't very private at all

YOU MIGHT be surprised how many people can see what you are watching in your internet browser's 'porn safe' private mode.

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Google Chrome warns users that its Incognito Mode isn't as private as users might think

Private browsing mode in your internet browser is not doing what you think it should be doing, claims DuckDuckGo CEO Gabe Weinberg.

According to the technology CEO, the private browsing mode in your web browser isn't very private at all.

In fact opening a private or incognito browser in your app of choice – either Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer – only ensures your computer does not remember your online activity.

Within private mode, the web browser will make sure your web searches and online history are not visible the next time you log in.

But that doesn't mean your activity is private. Your internet service provider – or ISP – is able to monitor every webpages and search made from your house.

This is something Google is very up-front about in its own Chrome browser.

“Going incognito doesn’t hide your browsing from your employer, your internet service provider or the websites that you visit.” the hugely popular web browser warns users.

Google is also able to track your activity and searches within its browser's Incognito Mode, especially if you sign-in to one of their apps while in a private mode.

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Google is pretty up-front about how much it is able to track while you're in Incognito mode

If you haven’t disabled or paused your account's Google Web History – you are able to log-in and track your activity there, too.

Mozilla Firefox uses an almost-identical disclaimer on its private browsing mode.

But again, “while this computer won’t have a record of your browsing history, your employer or internet service provider can still track the pages you visit.”

Some websites are able to track your movements across the web – even when you are browsing in private mode – thanks to a technology dubbed Super Cookies.

Like regular internet cookies, the lightweight software sits on a website and fingerprints users who visit the page. Then, when the user returns at a later date – the website is able to see the entirety of the users' activity between the two visits.

The difference with so-called Super Cookies is that these have the ability to continue tracking users in private browsing mode, too.

Without precautions, advertisers and website owners are also able to keep tabs on your online activity – even in private mode.

Home Secretary Theresa May recently proposed a draft bill – dubbed Investigatory Powers Bill – which would allow the Government to keep an itemised record of your web history.

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The Government wants to keep an itemised record of your web history on file

"It will provide the strongest safeguards and world-leading oversight arrangements," Theresa May told parliament.

"And it will give the men and women of our security and intelligence agencies and our law enforcement agencies... the powers they need to protect our country."

If the new laws are agreed, all personal internet searches will be held for a year and could be accessed at anytime by your internet service provider (ISP), police officers or the security agencies.

The recorded data would consist of a basic domain address – not a full browsing history.

This means police officers would be able to see you have visited express.co.uk – but could not pin-point the individual pages within the website.

Monday, November 23, 2015