Chapter 02 — Technology & Internet

Is incognito mode actually private?

Only locally. Incognito stops your browser from saving history, cookies, or form data on your device. It does not hide you from the websites you visit, your internet provider, your employer's network, or anyone tracking your account. Treat it as 'doesn't save', not 'invisible'.

Follow-up questions

What does incognito actually hide?

Browser history, cookies set during the session, form autofill, and downloads (the file remains, the entry doesn't). That's it.

Should I use a VPN with incognito?

If you want network-level privacy, yes — incognito + VPN covers both local and network sides. Neither makes you anonymous if you log into accounts.

Can my employer see what I do in incognito?

On a work device or work network, almost always yes. Monitoring software runs at the OS level, below the browser.

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