Google Chrome's incognito mode is not as private as you might think. Google is facing a $5 billion class action lawsuit in the United States for illegally violating user privacy with its browser's incognito mode. However, the company claims that despite its sham privacy settings, it clearly displays the data it collects and is immune from liability.

Google's defense in the lawsuit, filed by San Jose, California, law firm Boies Schiller Flexner (via BBC News), is that it clearly shows the data it collects from users while in incognito mode. Thus, users knew what they were getting into.

What is it all about? Private browsing is, in many cases, no different than normal browsing. Data collection from third parties is much the same between regular browsing and private browsing tabs. Websites can still use trackers and cookies to collect your data and movements between websites, but the Private Browsing mode provides only a way to erase traces of that session from your local machine and prevent those cookies from being carried over to another session

So, you can use the Private Browsing mode to collect your data and movements between websites.

Therefore, incognito mode is of little use. Secret mode is merely a tool to keep your dirty laundry away from the prying eyes of those closest to you, and they probably know what you are doing.

As for the lawsuit, Boies Schiller Flexner represents three individuals in the U.S. who say they represent a growing concern about online privacy and how data is tracked and used.

"People everywhere are becoming more aware (and concerned) that their personal communications are being intercepted, collected, recorded, or misused for profit by the technology companies they have come to rely on," the filing states.

In other words, private browsing is not so private. If you are familiar with online security, this should come as no surprise. If you want to be more anonymous online, there are a few simple steps you can take.

Plug-ins and extensions cannot prevent tracking, but they can raise privacy concerns if you are not careful. VPNs, on the other hand, act as an encrypted intermediary, making it more difficult for third parties to track your whereabouts. And, as our guide to the best VPNs for gaming proves, they don't have to slow down your online gaming performance.