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Chrome doesn’t exactly have the best reputation when it comes to user privacy. However, as someone who refuses to give up the Chrome experience, I’ve adopted several strategies to protect my privacy, from managing ad settings and deleting my browsing data regularly to blocking third party cookies.
1
Manage ad privacy
One of the most important steps I took to safeguard my privacy in Chrome was adjusting the ad privacy settings. These parameters allow me control how much of my online activity Google Chrome uses for targeted advertising.
Chrome’s ad privacy menu is divided into three sections: Subjects of advertisements, Site Suggested Adsand Ad measurement. With “Ad Themes,” Chrome uses my browsing habits to help advertisers target me with relevant ads. “Ads suggested by the site” refines the recommendations by focusing on the specific websites that I visit. Meanwhile, “Ad Measurement” allows advertisers to track the performance of their ads using my data.
To minimize my exposure, I disabled all three features by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Ad Privacy. While this does not eliminate ads entirely, it ensures that they are not tailored to my habits, reducing Google’s data footprint on my browsing.
2
Periodically review site permissions
Over time, websites can accumulate various permissions — such as access to my location, camera, microphone, and more — sometimes without me even realizing it. To keep my privacy in check, I periodically review my browser settings and look at the permissions that each site has.
To do this, go to the settings of Chrome and navigate Privacy and security > Site settings. Review each permission category and disable unnecessary access to unwanted sites. For example, I keep location tracking disabled from the selection Don’t allow sites to see your location. This prevents websites from constantly asking for access to my location, which I find unnecessary.
Regularly reviewing these permissions helps me maintain better control over what data I share and with whom, reducing the chances of inadvertently sharing more than intended.
3
Disable IP Protection
However Chrome’s “IP Protection” feature claims to enhance privacy by masking your IP address and preventing tracking, I question its real impact. IP Protection directs your web traffic through a central server, which means Google might still have access to your online activity, more than I like.
While there is no concrete evidence of abuse, routing all my traffic through Google’s servers raises concerns about how much data they could collect.
So, although IP Protection might sound like a good privacy boost, I decided to disable it by going to the Privacy and security less and turning off the Hide your IP address toggle. In this way, I feel more confident in my privacy, knowing that I am not accidentally given extra data.
4
Prevent Chrome from sending data to improve search and browsing
Another thing I did was turn off the functions that send my data to Google for improvement purposes. This includes disabling the collection of usage statistics, crash reports, and the URLs of the pages I visit.
I also disabled the enhanced spell check feature. While it may be useful, it allows Chrome to send any text you write to Google for correction, which I am not comfortable with. Likewise, I disabled the “Improve search suggestions” feature, which sends the terms you type in the address bar or search box directly to Google.
Doing all this is quick and simple. Navigate to Settings > You and Google > Sync and Google servicesand disable these options below Other Google services.
5
Clear Browsing Data Regularly
My browsing data in Chrome is more than just a list of websites I’ve recently visited. Beneath that simple list lies a goldmine for third-party trackers. Things like autofill data, search history and browsing habits can reveal a lot about you.
That’s why I clear my browsing data in Chrome regularly, and fortunately, it does not last long with the Ctrl + Shift + Delete shortcut While it’s not a complete fix for online privacy, it’s an essential step in making my browsing experience safer.
6
Block third-party cookies
Third party cookies are a major privacy concern for me. These cookies are used by advertisers and other entities to track my online behavior on various websites, even when I am not interacting with their pages. It almost makes me feel like someone is watching my every move, building a profile of my interests and habits without my consent.
While Google Chrome plans to phase out third-party cookiesI have already taken the liberty of disabling them myself by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Third Party Cookies. Blocking third-party cookies does not guarantee complete anonymity, but it certainly helps to minimize unnecessary tracking.
7
Use the Badger privacy extension
Aside from adjusting Chrome’s privacy settings, I also installed it Privacy Badger extension, which automatically detects and blocks trackers that follow me on various websites. In addition to this, it activates the “Do Not Track” signal, instructing websites not to track my browsing behavior.
What’s great is that Privacy Badger also allows me to see which trackers are trying to track me, and I can choose to block or allow them. I can easily decide to block or allow, giving a level of control that is simple and effective. This makes it easier for me to balance privacy with the occasional website functionality that I might need.
Best of all, Privacy Badger is completely free and appears to have no impact on Chrome’s performance.
8
Use a guest account whenever possible
When I need to browse or access something temporarily, I switch to Guest mode instead of using my main profile. This ensures that none of my personal browsing history, logins, or other data is saved, providing me with a clean slate every time.
Since Google Chrome doesn’t store any browsing activity in guest mode, I can browse without worrying about leaving a trace and I don’t have to delete anything afterwards – once I close the window, everything disappears. It’s an excellent way to separate my personal data from moments when I just need to search for something or explore without commitment.
With the above tweaks, I can enjoy the benefits of Chrome without compromising my data. While changing a specific setting may not make a big difference on its own, they all collectively help create a safer browsing experience. This way, I can continue using Chrome with more peace of mind, knowing that my privacy is better protected.
