Google Chrome’s Incognito mode does not make users invisible online. While it prevents browsing history and cookies from being retained after a private session, employers, internet providers and websites may still monitor activity. Incognito also does not hide IP addresses or prevent fingerprinting.

Incognito mode does what its name suggests only in a narrow sense: it keeps your history off the device you are using. It does not make you invisible to your employer, your internet provider or the websites you visit. Google says as much on its own help pages, and it was forced to say it more clearly after a lawsuit over what Chrome collects in private sessions.

Here is what private browsing does and does not do.

Myth 1: Incognito hides your history from everyone

It hides it from other people who use the same device. In Chrome, activity in an Incognito window is not saved on your device, and cookies and site data are discarded once you close all Incognito windows, according to Google's help page. The same page says the mode does not stop websites you visit, organisations that run your network, or your internet service provider from observing your activity.