Google is seeking a $5 billion lawsuit over allegations that Google Chrome's Incognito mode can still track users and collect personal information

The lawsuit was filed last June, but has now been allowed to proceed after a judge denied Google's request to dismiss Google has stated (via Engadget) that it intends to "vigorously" defend against the motion

Google claims that Incognito repeatedly warns users that it "does not mean invisibility" Meanwhile, participants in the lawsuit accuse the search giant of deceiving users and telling them that their information is private, even though their browsing habits are still being monitored

Judge Lucy Coe ruled that Google did not do enough to inform users that data collection is still possible in incognito mode Whether this is enough for the plaintiffs to actually prevail remains to be seen But for now, it is enough to force the case to go forward and force Google to defend itself in court

For what it's worth, incognito mode is not a way to keep yourself truly private when browsing the web It is merely a tool to prevent browsers from storing browsing history, cookies, and site and form data; Google's own description of incognito mode says that activity is not hidden from websites, Internet providers, or those who manage the network It says that it will not be hidden from those who manage websites, Internet providers, or networks

Nevertheless, Google has called incognito mode "private" browsing several times Google's definition of "private" may differ from that of the general public Much like a product with "lifetime support" does not necessarily cover the rest of the buyer's life

It is not clear what will happen if the lawsuit is successful and what it will mean for potential damages Since Google Chrome has over one billion users worldwide at this time, it is not clear how much of the $5 billion settlement will be available to individuals

The best bet for keeping your browsing habits private is to opt for one of the best VPNs: by connecting to a VPN server, you can hide your activities while browsing, making it harder to be tracked Of course, VPNs are not foolproof, and if you want to remain as anonymous as possible, there are Tor browsers

The basic idea is the same as using a VPN The key difference is that a VPN routes your browsing through a single server, whereas Tor routes it through dozens of servers for greater anonymity