What are Incognito Mode and a Virtual Private Network

Postado 2021-03-22 08:54:51

There are two popular tools in the digital world that are used for online privacy. They are a VPN service and Incognito Mode. Both these tools make you digitally safe in different ways. A VPN masks your online presence when you browse on the web, while Incognito Mode allows you to browse with a fresh browser without storing your history.

Incognito Mode

Incognito Mode is another name for private browsing. It is known through different names on different browsers. For example, Microsoft Edge provides InPrivate while Google Chrome provides Incognito Mode. But the purpose of this browser setting or feature is always to make the browser temporarily unable to access your search data. When you browse the internet under Incognito Mode, your browser can’t look at the site’s data like addresses, cookies, and anything you enter on the site.

You get a fresh browser in Incognito Mode without any cookies. For example, if you access Facebook through a standard browser window, you can use Facebook in the Incognito Mode window if you want to stop Facebook from seeing you are logged in.

When you do anything on the web under Incognito Mode, your browser won’t remember anything you do on the web. Your visited web pages aren’t stored in the history or the recently visited tab. If you go to a website and you need to log in there, you can delete the window if you want the browser doesn’t remember you.

No doubt, your browser doesn’t store your browsing data on your device but remember that it may be available on the other side. That means that when you go to a website, it can know your IP address, and also, the internet service provider can track your activity. Your employer can also track what you do when you show you are working. Keep in mind that browsing through Incognito Mode doesn’t mean that you have made yourself anonymous online.

Virtual Private Network or VPN

When you use the internet through a VPN, it provides a private server to make you anonymous online. It allows you to browse through a private server. That means when visiting a website; it won’t track your real IP address; instead, the website sees the IP address of your VPN.

A VPN service adds multiple layers of protection when you are on the web. It also lets you create a fake location or hide your real location completely. If you use a fake location, then the websites you visit won’t be able to see your actual location. In addition to it, a VPN allows breaking regional restrictions on a particular service. For example, if YouTube is banned by the government in your region, you can access it through a VPN. You can do online banking on holidays. A virtual private network also helps you bypass country-level restrictions.

All these great digital privacy and facilities attract users to use VPN. Anyone who cares for their privacy can take advantage of a VPN.

What is the gap in VPN security?

A VPN creates an encrypted connection for your online privacy. However, your internet service provider or network administrator can access what you have connected outside of the server, excluding the websites you have connected with.

Using a VPN service doesn’t mean that you are completely anonymous. If you forget to log out from your Google account or any social media site, you can be tracked by them. For example, you log in to Google through a VPN and then start using the browser, Google can see you. A VPN service can watch everything that you do by enabling it. So, before going for any random service, first, do complete research and choose the best one for you.

Use both a VPN and Private browsing simultaneously

There may not be any similar functionality in a VPN and Incognito Mode, but you can do one thing with them, which is using them together. Both these tools may help each other to fill their gaps or shortcomings. If you use both of them, then it will become harder to track you. They will also protect your privacy.

Source: https://wgslogin.com/what-are-incognito-mode-and-a-virtual-private-network/