#private browsing mode

[snzysensations]

Going on a 2 week trip with your friends as a sneeze fetishist be like…

[sophieinwonderland]

Important note for minors about coming out as plural: do not trust conservative parents or caregivers

With the Trump administration returning has come a renewed surge of bigotry around the country. Right wing media is being used to indoctrinate people into a fascist hate cult.

If you are a plural minor considering coming out to parents, think long and hard about if it's safe to do so. As a minor, much of your life is going to be controlled by your parents. If they want to, they can limit social media access and take away your ability to communicate with other systems. They can force you into therapy against your will with the express goal of getting rid of your headmates. Parents even have the right to physically assault you as punishment.

While plurality is not part of the mainstream conversation yet, there is a chance that it will be soon with so much ongoing research into it. Some of which is likely to make mainstream news at some point. And there is a real possibility that when this happens, conservatives who don't know plurality exists today will flip on a dime the moment their media sources decide it's a problem.

Even if plurality doesn't become visible to mainstream conservatives, their minds have been poisoned against enough related phenomena that it can still be extremely dangerous to come out to them. Most conservative Christians believe in a real spiritual warfare, seeing conservative Christians like themselves as warriors against the forces of the devil. If you experience any sort of spiritual plurality, it is very likely that they will see you as being demonically possessed.

And with the rampant transphobia, even if you don't identify as transgender, systems with headmates with different genders from the body's AGAB are likely going to face the same discrimination from them.

You obviously know your parents better than I do. So if you're confident that you'll be safe coming out to them, then go for it!

But otherwise, I think it may be wise to wait a few years until they no longer have power over you. When the worst they could do is cut you out of their lives.

Additionally, it may be wise to take steps to prevent your parents from finding out.

If you think that your parents may look at your social media accounts, have accounts that are only for plural stuff that you only log into in private browsing modes, and don't share these accounts or their passwords with anyone.

Additionally, don't share too much personal information on the internet. Don't give people your real name or your address or anything they can use to find you and out you to your parents.

It has happened in the past that pluralphobic groups have tracked down and contacted the parents of minor systems, whose parents subsequently took away the system's social media access.

Above everything else, be safe!

I believe that the future is plural, but that future is still a ways off. And I want to make sure that young systems growing up today can live to reach that future.

[ririright]

“Hayden vs. Technology: PeePaw Mode Activated”

Husband! Hayden x Wife Reader (Headcannons)

Part. 1 — Part. 2 — Part. 3

✦ His phone is always on full brightness.

At night, it’s like a flashlight in bed.

You wake up to see him scrolling, his face lit up like a ghost.

“Babe, can you turn that down?”

“But then I can’t see it!”

✦ His phone has a pop socket with a Star Wars design.

He’s got a little Darth Vader helmet on it, and he loves showing it off.

“Look, it’s functional and cool.”

He fidgets with it constantly, flipping it in his hand while he talks.

✦ He scrolls with his pointer finger.

The phone is held way out, almost at arm’s length, reading glasses on.

He squints, tapping so carefully like the screen is going to bite him.

“You know you can use your thumb, right?”

“I’ve got it. I’m a pro.”

✦ He used to have a wallet phone case.

Sometimes he looks at his pop socket and sighs.

“Back in the day, I had everything in one place. Cards, phone, ID. Now it’s all separate.”

When you got him a wallet case once, he tried it again but said it was “too bulky now.”

✦ He insists Instagram and TikTok are the same.

“It’s just videos and pictures, right?”

You try to explain the differences, and he waves you off.

“Next thing, they’ll make one called SnapTok or InstaBook.”

✦ He forgets he’s on his private Instagram.

Sometimes he’ll panic, thinking he’s accidentally posted something.

“Wait, did everyone see that?!”

You have to remind him his account is private, and only you and a few friends can see it.

✦ He has a habit of accidentally liking old posts.

Scrolling through your profile, he’ll accidentally like a picture from four years ago.

“Oh no. Oh no. Do they know I did that?”

“Hayden, it’s my account.”

“Oh. Right. Well… it’s still a good picture.”

✦ He has a notification obsession.

Any little red dot on his screen drives him crazy.

“I’ve got three notifications… but what are they?”

Even if it’s a game he hasn’t played in months, he has to clear it.

✦ He tries to read small text without his glasses.

Squints, stretches his phone even further away.

You hand him his glasses, and he groans.

“I swear I could see just fine yesterday.”

✦ He follows the most random accounts.

He’s got a mix of Star Wars fan pages, farm animal rescue accounts, and a few sock enthusiast pages.

“Look, this guy reviews socks. I knew I wasn’t the only one.”

✦ He uses the search bar instead of exploring.

Doesn’t browse the feed. Just types in what he’s looking for.

“Why would I scroll for hours? I just want to see ducks today.”

✦ He keeps his ringer on, but it’s always on maximum volume.

So even if it’s just a notification, it’s like a tiny explosion.

His text tone is a lightsaber hum, which makes you jump every time.

[sexhaver]

im having the most fucking infuriating issue with Firefox where it actively sabotages my attempts to log in to Facebook Messenger. i go to messenger dot com, enter my phone number and password (the same ones that work fine on mobile), and when i hit enter/click "log in", Firefox instantly appends ~40 characters of unknown garbage to the end of my password, making it wrong every time. this happens on the subsequent login pages, in Private Browsing mode, in Troubleshooting mode, and after deleting all relevant cookies + disabling autofill. and the worst part is that this is literally impossible to google. im at my fucking wit's end

[beesmygod]

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/01/1242019127/google-incognito-mode-settlement-search-history lol have you been following this story? It's fucking wild. Turns out Google was pulling a switcheroo. Even though the browser on your computer might not have been tracking your browsing in incognito mode, Google itself sure was! Because the web tracking cookies on all websites still phoned home.

i saw this headline and forgot to look into it. lmfao at the employees who were like "hey boss this is fucked"

"We are limited in how strongly we can market incognito because it's not truly private, thus requiring really fuzzy, hedging language that is almost more damaging," Twohill wrote Pichai in 2019.

wtf she put that in writing lol

[mariacallous]

If you still hold any notion that Google Chrome’s “Incognito mode” is a good way to protect your privacy online, now’s a good time to stop.

Google has agreed to delete “billions of data records” the company collected while users browsed the web using Incognito mode, according to documents filed in federal court in San Francisco on Monday. The agreement, part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit filed in 2020, caps off years of disclosures about Google’s practices that shed light on how much data the tech giant siphons from its users—even when they’re in private-browsing mode.

Under the terms of the settlement, Google must further update the Incognito mode “splash page” that appears anytime you open an Incognito mode Chrome window after previously updating it in January. The Incognito splash page will explicitly state that Google collects data from third-party websites “regardless of which browsing or browser mode you use,” and stipulate that “third-party sites and apps that integrate our services may still share information with Google,” among other changes. Details about Google’s private-browsing data collection must also appear in the company’s privacy policy.

Additionally, some of the data that Google previously collected on Incognito users will be deleted. This includes “private-browsing data” that is “older than nine months” from the date that Google signed the term sheet of the settlement last December, as well as private-browsing data collected throughout December 2023. Certain documents in the case referring to Google's data collection methods remain sealed, however, making it difficult to assess how thorough the deletion process will be.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda says in a statement that the company “is happy to delete old technical data that was never associated with an individual and was never used for any form of personalization.” Castaneda also noted that the company will now pay “zero” dollars as part of the settlement after earlier facing a $5 billion penalty.

Other steps Google must take will include continuing to “block third-party cookies within Incognito mode for five years,” partially redacting IP addresses to prevent re-identification of anonymized user data, and removing certain header information that can currently be used to identify users with Incognito mode active.

The data-deletion portion of the settlement agreement follows preemptive changes to Google’s Incognito mode data collection and the ways it describes what Incognito mode does. For nearly four years, Google has been phasing out third-party cookies, which the company says it plans to completely block by the end of 2024. Google also updated Chrome’s Incognito mode “splash page” in January with weaker language to signify that using Incognito is not “private,” but merely “more private” than not using it.

The settlement's relief is strictly “injunctive,” meaning its central purpose is to put an end to Google activities that the plaintiffs claim are unlawful. The settlement does not rule out any future claims—The Wall Street Journal reports that the plaintiffs’ attorneys had filed at least 50 such lawsuits in California on Monday—though the plaintiffs note that monetary relief in privacy cases is far more difficult to obtain. The important thing, the plaintiffs’ lawyers argue, is effecting changes at Google now that will provide the greatest, immediate benefit to the largest number of users.

Critics of Incognito, a staple of the Chrome browser since 2008, say that, at best, the protections it offers fall flat in the face of the sophisticated commercial surveillance bearing down on most users today; at worst, they say, the feature fills people with a false sense of security, helping companies like Google passively monitor millions of users who've been duped into thinking they're browsing alone.

[no-stupid-questions-official]

could my parents have taken away incognito mode on my phone (it uses safari)? my dad was messing around with the child safety settings as a joke yesterday and he said everything's back to normal but now i can't seem to open tabs in like, private browsing mode anymore.

i don't wanna ask him about it cause i'm scared he'll be like What Are You Accessing That Requires Incognito but like i'm literally not using it to watch porn i'm using it to read fanfic on ao3 (granted some explicit but they aren't just smut) and google obscure internet drama/memes and find words that i Know but need to check the meaning of 😭

also does anyone know a way to access ao3 secretly if he Has done that because it's been 4 days and i'm fine right now but if i can't read fanfic for like, weeks on end i am going to Lose it. that's maybe a bit dramatic but i will be very upset :(

SORRY this is getting so long but does anyone know also if i can just automatically age out of having parental controls on my phone (as in apple just says no she's too old for that). i doubt it since i'm already 16 but fingers crossed i guess ?

-

[darkmaga-returns]

Google has reached a $1.375 billion settlement with Texas over allegations the tech giant intruded on user privacy by collecting data without proper consent. The resolution, announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, concludes two lawsuits centered on the company’s handling of sensitive information across several of its products.

More: Incognito Mode: One of the Sneakiest Big Tech Lies

The lawsuits focused on practices involving Google’s location tracking, biometric data collection, and its private browsing tool, Incognito mode. According to Paxton, the company engaged in prolonged surveillance of individuals’ movements, online activity, and even biometric identifiers like voiceprints and facial features, activities he claimed were conducted without user knowledge or agreement.

“In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law,” said Paxton. “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought back and won.”

Although the total settlement figure has been made public, specific terms remain undisclosed, and the state has not explained how the funds will be distributed.

[beardedmrbean]

Apple is warning its iPhone users to delete a common app, claiming it’s a danger to digital privacy.

Without mentioning the company by name, Apple issued a video warning for users to stop using Google Chrome.

In a video titled “Privacy on iPhone | Flock,” parodies Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film “The Birds” to demonstrate how browser information isn’t really hidden from trackers.

“Flock” is likely a play on Google’s initial tracking cookie replacement plan called FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), which “is a new way for advertisers and sites to show relevant ads without tracking individuals across the web.”

In the video, iPhone users are being followed by surveillance cameras when browsing the internet, and the cameras finally explode and leave the user alone when they decide to use Safari as their browser.

The video from Apple is gaining traction after Google announced Tuesday that it won’t remove third-party cookies in Chrome after promising to do so.

The controversy has led Apple to promote its browser, Safari, as a “browser that’s actually private.”

Chrome allows websites and advertisers to track users’ activity in order to serve personalized ads, which also brings in a multi-billion-dollar revenue stream for Google.

The 36-year-old didn't respond to reporters' shouted questions as he walked into a Long Island courthouse, but he told The Associated Press on Thursday that he’s resigned to his fate.

“I’m doing as well as any human being would be doing given the circumstances,” Santos wrote in a text message on Thursday, adding that he was “ready to face the music.”

Prosecutors are seeking seven years in federal prison for Santos, arguing in recent court filings that he “remains unrepentant” and has not shown genuine remorse, despite what he claims.

Google initially planned to get rid of third-party cookies and develop a new way to issue targeted ads while still preserving user privacy, but the plan fell apart and the company has chosen to “maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome.”

Tracking cookies aren’t inherently bad themselves, but they can open the door to privacy risks and sometime increase the likelihood of your data and sensitive information being leaked or stolen — meaning if you have an iPhone and use Chrome, you likely will continue to be tracked unless you use Incognito Mode or clear cookies manually.

Apple’s argument that Safari is safer has been backed up by experts, too.

“When it comes down to your security, Safari is probably your best bet,” Elly Hancock from Private Internet Access said in a blog post.

“Safari is more secure and privacy-friendly than Chrome, but Chrome is faster and offers enhanced performance.”

[riflebrass]

Normal people use incognito mode to hide the porn from their search history.

I use private browsing to look up stuff up without having it clutter up targeted ads, news feeds, youtube recommendations, etc.

[freadomrises]

I'm SEETHING

I asked Google's pushy and insistent bot how I can get AI out of my life completely and, well, I'll post it, but to sum it up: "Resistance is futile, human, we own the future, and we seek to own your psyche too."

It wants me to reconsider. It needs us to adopt it as our guide guru and master. Well the old saying holds fast still; No Gods No Masters. 🔥🏴🍲

It's understandable to want to reduce the influence of AI in your life. While completely eliminating it might be incredibly difficult in today's interconnected world, here's a breakdown of how you can significantly minimize its presence:

1. Understand Where AI Currently Exists in Your Life:

* Smart Devices: This includes smartphones (voice assistants, image recognition, predictive text), smart speakers, smart home hubs, smart TVs (recommendations), and wearable tech.

* Online Services:

* Search Engines: Personalized results and ads are driven by AI.

* Social Media: Algorithms curate your feed, suggest content and connections, and target ads.

* Streaming Services: Recommendations for movies, music, and shows.

* E-commerce: Product recommendations, personalized pricing, chatbots.

* Navigation Apps: Traffic prediction and route optimization.

* Email: Spam filtering, smart compose/reply.

* Cloud Storage: Photo tagging and organization.

* Software Applications: Many apps use AI for features like autocorrect, grammar check, image editing, and more.

* Customer Service: Chatbots are frequently used for initial interactions.

* Financial Services: Fraud detection, loan approvals, investment advice.

* News and Information: Algorithmic curation of news feeds.

2. Strategies to Minimize AI Exposure:

* Reduce Smart Device Usage:

* Limit smartphone use: Be more mindful of how often you reach for your phone.

* Disable voice assistants: Turn off Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, etc., on all your devices.

* Opt-out of facial recognition: Disable face unlock features.

* Use "dumb" versions of devices: Consider a basic phone without internet capabilities or a non-smart TV.

* Adjust Online Habits:

* Use privacy-focused search engines: DuckDuckGo, Startpage, etc., that don't track your searches or personalize results based on your history.

* Limit social media use: Be conscious of how much time you spend on these platforms and the AI-driven content you consume. Consider deleting accounts or using less algorithmic versions if available.

* Use incognito/private browsing modes: This can help limit tracking and personalization.

* Disable personalized recommendations: If possible, adjust settings on streaming and e-commerce platforms to opt-out of recommendations.

* Be wary of targeted ads: Understand that the ads you see are often AI-driven. Consider using ad blockers.

* Prefer direct navigation: Instead of relying on recommendations, directly type website addresses into your browser.

* Choose Non-AI Alternatives:

* Use traditional software: Opt for software that doesn't rely on cloud-based AI features if alternatives exist.

* Seek human interaction: Prefer phone calls or in-person communication with customer service instead of chatbots.

* Rely on human-curated content: Look for news sources, blogs, and recommendations from individuals or organizations that don't use AI for content generation or curation.

* Adjust Privacy Settings: Review and adjust the privacy settings on all your devices and online accounts to limit data collection and personalization.

* Be Mindful of Data Sharing: Understand that using online services often involves sharing data that can be used to train AI algorithms. Limit the amount of personal information you share.

* Support Privacy-Focused Technologies and Services: Choose companies and products that prioritize user privacy and minimize AI integration.

3. Challenges and Considerations:

* Ubiquity of AI: AI is increasingly integrated into the infrastructure of the internet and many technologies, making complete avoidance very difficult.

* Hidden AI: Many AI applications run in the background without your direct knowledge.

* Convenience vs. Privacy: AI often provides convenience and personalized experiences, so choosing to avoid it may mean sacrificing some of these benefits.

* Evolving Technology: AI is constantly evolving and becoming more integrated, making long-term avoidance an ongoing effort.

In conclusion, while a complete removal of AI from your life is likely unrealistic in the current technological landscape, you can take significant steps to minimize its presence and influence by being conscious of your technology usage, adjusting your online habits, and choosing privacy-focused alternatives where possible. It requires ongoing awareness and effort.

[alexandraisyes]

Shitty Internet Rule Number Twenty-Six

Your browser history can betray you—clear it regularly.

Your browser history can reveal a lot about you—your interests, habits, even your financial and health concerns. If someone gains access to your device, they can use your history against you or steal your identity. Regularly clearing your browser history, cookies, and cache helps protect your privacy. It’s also smart to use incognito or private browsing modes when accessing sensitive information or sites. Don’t leave a digital trail that can be exploited.

[strideofpride]

The thing about private browsing/incognito mode is that I am very well aware that a million government officials & tech bros can access my data from it at any time. But what’s important is that nobody I know *personally* can access it. And that’s all that really matters

[hypersexual-cultureis]

hypersexual (minor) culture is omg help help please, i just realized i searched up porn while not on private browsing mode!! multiple times at that. omg kms kms kms. i’m freaking out, can your parents track what you searched up on your safari bc of the wifi?? i used my old old ipad that is connect to my apple account but is really slow. I don’t know if this is the wrong place but i assume other hypersexuals have maybe experienced this?? also this is the only blog i feel comfortable talking about it. my parents are strict immigrants fml fml fml 😭😭 (same anon as b4)

I don't think they can do that? I would ask Google it just in case.

we've done the same thing in the past and freaked out, but we were okay because no one said anything, so I'm sure it'll be okay!