Privacy Tip of the Week: Don’t Use Incognito Mode

Watching a steamy video? Searching up an embarrassing medical question? Looking for that perfect gift that you need to keep secret? Most people hide their browser history with incognito mode. The name generates an expectation of privacy. However, going incognito online actually doesn’t protect you as much as you may believe. While the setting stops your device from saving your activities, other parties still have full view of everything you do online. Take a look at what incognito mode hides, what it doesn’t, and what alternatives to use:

• What does incognito hide?
• What doesn’t incognito hide?
• Incognito alternatives

What Does Incognito Hide?

A common online belief is that incognito mode hides all online activity. However, this belief is untrue. Although incognito shouldn’t be your go-to for complete privacy, it does have its uses. They include:

• It Deletes Cookies: Every online session creates user data, such as cookies. Unfortunately, cookies are sometimes invasive. They collect personal information which may be used by third-parties. However, incognito erases cookies as soon as your session ends, so they can’t harm your privacy.
• It Keeps Your Internet History Empty: Perhaps one of the best benefits of incognito mode is that it deletes your search history once you end your session. This prevents others from seeing your activity and may avoid many an embarrassing conversation.
• It Allows For Multiple Accounts: If you share a device with someone, you may have to constantly log into and out of your accounts, which can be a hassle. By using incognito mode, you can reduce the annoyance because your browser won’t remember your log in info at all.

What Doesn’t Incognito Hide?

Although incognito mode has some benefits, complete privacy is not one of them. These are some of the things not protected by private browsing:

• Your IP Address: While your device might not know what you’re searching in incognito, your internet service provider does. Your ISP can still track your activity and collect your data. This data may even be sold to third-parties.
• Your Site Data: Many users believe incognito prevents a website from collecting your data. However, the site still knows you’re there. In addition, if it requires a login, the site also knows exactly who you are. It can still collect your data, which negates the purpose of incognito.

Incognito Alternatives

Thankfully, incognito mode isn’t your only option for internet privacy. There are new developments in the tech world to improve digital privacy every day. A few excellent incognito alternatives include:

• Tor: Tor is a free software that allows users to increase their online anonymity. Its browser is heavily encrypted to keep prying eyes away. Tor is even more useful when paired with a VPN.
• VPNs: A VPN, or virtual private network, is a tool that creates secure encryption between a user and website. It prevents internet service providers and other third-parties from seeing and collecting your data. VPNs also function similarly to incognito mode by deleting search history and cookies. Make sure to use a VPN with a no-logs policy, such as HotBot VPN.

If you’re looking for a high-security, fast speed VPN to protect your identity online, consider HotBot VPN. You can download our app for all of your Android, iOS, or Windows devices today!

Protect yourself now!