Incognito navigation does not hide our activities from those who manage the network with which we connect, such as providers, companies or schools. So what is it for?
In the daily struggle to defend some of the our online privacythe Incognito navigation of the browser It appears as a simple and immediate solution. Just one click and – at least in theory – nobody should be able to see the sites we have visited anymore. But is it really the case? Not exactly.
It is useful to know that unknown navigation It is not actually anonymous: serves do not leave traces on the device That we are using, yes, but cannot hide our activities from those who provide us with the connection, to the websites we visit or to the search engines.
What does it allow you to navigate incognito
When activating The incognito mode (on Chrome, Firefox, safaris or other search engines), the browser stops savingin addition to the simple chronology, also Cookies and the information entered in the modules. The pages that are visited, therefore, will not appear in automatic suggestions, and all searches will not remain stored on the computer.
It is ideal, for example, if you have to buy a surprise gift and share the PC with the person concerned, or if you want access a site with another account Without making logout from your own (although the most frequent use of this mode takes place for two other reasons: visit pornographic sites or cover lozes). However, Any downloaded files o bookmarks created they will remain saved normally.
And the websites? Continue to See the User’s IP address in incognitoas well as companies, schools or network providers.
What does not allow you to navigate incognito?
A study from 2018 from the University of Chicago has shown that over half of users erroneously believed that incognito its position was hidden or that the research was not traced. In reality, however, by logging in, However, the activities remain connected to the user And who manages the network – as a school or corporate administrator – will always have available The list of sites visited by a terminal.
Contrary to what is also believed, the private mode does not protect from viruses, malware or phishing, e does not prevent sites from collecting data If you are connected with a Google or Facebook account. We are therefore not talking about an “invisible” mode, but simply a way not to leave traces only and exclusively on the device.
What to do to get true online privacy
For A real online privacymore advanced tools are needed. VPN (Virtual Private Network), for example, they can mask the position of a user by drifting traffic through an intermediate server.
Or it is possible use safer browsers Like Tor, which bounces the connection on different nodes to make it more difficult to trace the identity of those who use it. These methods, however, also have limits and must be used with awareness.
No technology, alone, guarantees absolute anonymity, but the good news is that There are reliable guides – like those of the EPP (Electronic Frontier Foundation) Association) or the State Police – who explain How to protect your digital lifebecause safe navigation, at sea as on the internet, always starts from a good preparation.
