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This is very bad. There are so many reasons why I want to be able to use Gmail without having google track all of my activity across search and maps. I have be

This is very bad. There are so many reasons why I want to be able to use Gmail without having google track all of my activity across search and maps. I have been a loyal Chrome user since pretty much launch, because it was the fastest browser and mostly seemed to stay that way over the years. I understand why Google is doing this from a monopolistic “control all the things” perspective, and this will probably increase engagement in the near term, but I think this is a very poor strategic decision given the rising tide of trust issues surrounding Big Tech these days. Privacy is such a hot button issue now. Facebook is rightly getting raked over the coals in front of Congress for its rampant neglect/abuse of privacy issues. Apple is crushing it with its privacy-first positioning and hammering FB and Google publicly on their tracking-based revenue models. I understand that Google can’t change its underlying business model overnight, but why double down on more enforced tracking? It makes them an even bigger target just in time for an oncoming storm. Time to start shopping for a new browser. Thanks for everything, Chrome.

deleted 8y ago
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jsnell 8y ago
> This is very bad. There are so many reasons why I want to be able to use Gmail without having google track all of my activity across search and maps. But I don't think this Chrome release changed anything with regards to that? It's been the case for more than a decade that if you're logged into gmail you're also logged into search, maps, apps, etc. And if you log out of one, you log out of all of them. Whatever workflow you've been using to keep logged into gmail while avoiding being logged in to the other Google sites would still work exactly the same way. (E.g. I'm always logged into gmail and chrome, but do 99% of my searches and Youtube watching from incognito windows, so they don't get associated with my account).
- mindgam3 8y ago
  Thanks for clarifying. I'm going to step slightly down from my high horse now. So, I just tested and I can still have separate "People" in Chrome browser-level settings, + incognito windows as you mentioned. I guess now I'm confused as to what actually changed then.
- pastununtrium 8y ago
  The problem is that even most devs (I’m just gonna assume and pull this assumption outta my ass) don’t have the time or energy to put into such jailed browser windows. I think I used to a bit, but sometimes I’d forget and log into a service in my non google windows, etc. It got to be too much work. There has to be a better way to manage this.

deleted 8y ago

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jsnell 8y ago

> This is very bad. There are so many reasons why I want to be able to use Gmail without having google track all of my activity across search and maps. But I don't think this Chrome release changed anything with regards to that? It's been the case for more than a decade that if you're logged into gmail you're also logged into search, maps, apps, etc. And if you log out of one, you log out of all of them. Whatever workflow you've been using to keep logged into gmail while avoiding being logged in to the other Google sites would still work exactly the same way. (E.g. I'm always logged into gmail and chrome, but do 99% of my searches and Youtube watching from incognito windows, so they don't get associated with my account).

mindgam3 8y ago
Thanks for clarifying. I'm going to step slightly down from my high horse now. So, I just tested and I can still have separate "People" in Chrome browser-level settings, + incognito windows as you mentioned. I guess now I'm confused as to what actually changed then.
pastununtrium 8y ago
The problem is that even most devs (I’m just gonna assume and pull this assumption outta my ass) don’t have the time or energy to put into such jailed browser windows. I think I used to a bit, but sometimes I’d forget and log into a service in my non google windows, etc. It got to be too much work. There has to be a better way to manage this.