Google will soon start testing a new ‘IP protection’ feature for Chrome users, offering them greater control over their privacy. The tech giant the upcoming feature prevents websites from tracking users by hiding their IP address using proxy servers owned by Google.
To give you a quick recap, IP address is a unique numerical identifier that can be used to track a user’s geographical location and is used by advertisers to track a user’s browsing habits, see which websites they visit and provide personalized ads.
According to Google, the IP protection feature will be rolled out in multiple stages, with Phase 0 redirecting domains owned by Google (like Gmail) to a single proxy server. The company says the first phase will allow them to test its infrastructure and only a handful of users residing in the US will be enrolled.
Google also said that the upcoming IP protection feature will be available for users who have logged in to Chrome. To prevent misuse the tech giant will be implementing an authentication server that will set a quota for every user.
In the following phases, Google will start using a 2-hop proxy system, which essentially redirects a website’s request to a Google server that will again be redirected to an external CDN like Cloudflare.
While the IP protection feature might enhance user privacy, the tech giant has clarified that it is not a foolproof system. If a hacker is able to gain access to Google’s proxy server, they will be able to analyse all traffic passing through the network and even redirect users to malicious websites.
Since most of Google’s revenue comes from tracking users across the internet and offering them personalized ads, it will be interesting to see how the company strikes a balance between user privacy and revenue generation.
Well that would be great if Google wasn’t the main culprit trying to track me.
Is that really the best business plan they have now? Stop everyone else tracking you so their own data is worth more?
Credit where credit is due - they’ve been hypocrites since at least the day the posited “Don’t be evil”.
Like any decent person needs to say that.
That was their company motto, it’s supposed to be a silly reminder/moral goal to follow in your code of conduct. But back in 2000 when they started using it, it was also kinda genuine, meant as a stab at Microsoft and other such companies exploiting users.
In 2015 Alphabet decided that “Don’t be evil” was too restricting and changed it to “Do the right thing”. Even that has since been removed.