Microsoft has been engaged in a fierce browser war with Google, accusing them of deceiving their users either by hiding its products or copying it. Chrome and Edge are the two main contenders in this contest, but Chrome has maintained its lead. In the desktop realm, Microsoft also has a large number of users, so this is really Goliath versus Goliath. Microsoft is urging Chrome users to switch over to Edge because it claims Edge offers better security and privacy than Chrome. Google is clearly in disagreement. Microsoft is forcing Chrome users to switch browsers, and the results are surprising. Forbes New Apple Spyware Warning – Check This iPhone Settings Now by Zak Doffman.
Chrome’s Incognito Mode is a source of criticism. Microsoft’s marketing would suggest that this is a theme they should pursue. Windows has made Chrome more secure and private for over a billion users. Windows Latest reported that “Windows 11’s (and Windows 10’s) clipboard history does not save content copied using Chrome incognito?” This is not a problem, it’s a Microsoft feature that makes Chromium private browsing on Windows more “private”.
These changes have been made for a year but weren’t documented or publicly announced. PC World (19459008) explains that when you copy and paste something into a Chromium browser, the copied content is stored in Windows Clipboard History. If you enable Clipboard Sync, the history of your devices will be synced across cloud-synced computers. “You probably do not want this to happen when browsing privately.”
It does bring up a key issue regarding the understanding of what private browsing is. The same is not true for all products. Safari, for example, keeps data in a tab that is private. Close the tab to delete it. Chrome, on the other hand, keeps all data open across all private tabs and until they are closed. Forbes TikTok iPhone warning–When will your app be deleted? Zak Doffman,
According to Windows Latest, “in this case, the whole point of using incognito was to protect and hide everything that you did in that private session. But is it truly private when Google leaks and syncs Chrome’s copied contents across all your devices?” It’s not. “Syncing private clipboard contents defeats the point of incognito.”
Another similar change has been implemented. The video thumbnails of media played in Incognito Mode are no longer displayed on the lock screen or volume control on your computer. It’s about changing the definition of “private”. This is good news, but it may seem odd given the context. Microsoft and Google deserve credit for working closely together and deploying this seamlessly with minimal fuss. Back to the beginning…
