What is the privacy significance of being 'signed in' in Google Chrome?

Question

When using Google Chrome browser, if you go in Settings, for example it will say:
Signed in as [e-mail]

What I don't get is it will say this even if you're logged out of your email account, even if you're browsing in 'Incognito mode'. I don't get it. Do all browsers do this? Is my email my username? I'm confused because it seems like it's telling me I'm signed into my email when I know I'm not.

The reason why I ask, and I'm not 100% sure on this, is it seems like google is remembering my searches in Incognito mode and I wondered if it was somehow doing this by tracking my email account even though I'm not logged in. Maybe I'm wrong and it's suggesting previous searches and websites from non-incognito browsing. I don't think so though. I guess I could create a new Chrome user and find out. Can anybody clear up my confusion?

Answer 1

There are definitely privacy concerns.



Being signed in does ad convenience:

such as quicker results, finding open tabs on your other devices, more relevant search results, bookmarks saved across all devices etc.



The Privacy issues are frightening to say the least.

Signing in makes it easier for Google to get a complete profile of you,

The NSA can also keep track of you much easier.



Web History, cookies, you name it everything!!! is recorded on google servers.

INCOGNITO browsing is supposubly not recording your history however I believe that it does and there is probably evidence released by Snowden that proves it does.

Your GMAIL is your Google account, so in google chrome everything thing you do is being recorded on google servers with your name attached.

You are signed in!



NOTE:

Don't trust HTTPS or 256 BIT encryption anymore.



Whilst you should never sign in to sites without HTTPS, online companies, web providers, NSA etc can still have ways around them.

And if you think that there is nothing that they are interested in you, that is naive and you should really think about it because I bet with in 5 minutes of looking through your entire history there would be something incriminating.



Privacy is a human right and it is a false trade off to say that terrorism is an excuse to monitor and scan everyone's data. Dictatorships start on this very excuse, principle or what ever you wan't to call it.



The best way regarding browsers to make privacy better is to use a non proprietary browser.

This doesn't mean using "open source"!

Open Source is a falsely advertised version of freedom.



"Free Software" is the best way to go! That is why companies like Microsoft, Apple etc attack them.



The most common example of free software is "Mozilla Firefox".

Mozilla Firefox however, has non free proprietary add ons that you can install which does in deed defeat the purpose of using it as a free browser.



For software to be Free (not free beer, freedom of speech) it must contain a license like the one below.

https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html



Whilst Chrome is definitely the fastest browser known to mankind, you are sacrificing many different freedoms by using it.



Might I suggest using "tor" If you are deeply concerned about privacy.

https://www.torproject.org/



Here are some useful links:

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html



I recommend installing HTTPS Everywhere

https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere



Ad block:

https://getadblock.com/



and an extension called "No Script"

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript/



Those three extensions will help improve your privacy



(my website below)

http://www.fusiontv1.site40.net/Fusiontv1/TV_Video/Entries/2013/12/16_Stop_Watching_Us_The_Video.html

Answer 2

There's a difference between logging in on the website (from e.g. Google) and having your browser signed in.

When you first open your chrome browser, it asks you to sign in. When you do, it will download all your bookmarks, extensions and apps that you previously installed on that account.

This is completely separated from a website login.



If you want to remove your login from chrome, you will loose access to your online cache of bookmarks, history, and so forth. You can remove your user account from chrome by following the following instructions:

Answer 3

My guess would be you logged in to chrome and did not un-tick the box..

Saying.. Keep me logged in permanently.



No only chrome gets this. (Firefox does not)



Yes your email is your username.



My guess would be.. Because your logged in it is not running incognito mode properly.



Log out of chrome.. And dont log back in. (Theres no need to)

http://www.geek.com/android/geek-101-how-to-sign-out-of-chrome-on-all-devices-1564884/



You can also edit chromes settings to remove browser history automatically.

http://www.howtogeek.com/137681/how-to-automatically-clear-private-data-when-you-close-your-browser/



Hope it helps :)

Answer 4

I find Google Chrome not very user friendly to the point I am removing it from everyone of my computers.

The last straw was trying to put it on my new tablet and all the BS I have had to go through.

Answer 5

For Any browser Tech Support Contact at: [phone]

http://gth.us.com/

Answer 6

This is a good link for downloading Adblock for free http://bit.ly/1xTBLS5

I love it!

Cheers.