Equally Maintain Privacy, This Is A Difference Between VPN And Incognito Mode

Differences between VPN and Incognito mode (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA Incognito and VPN modes are designed to maintain the privacy of their users, but their functions and workings are different. There is a very striking difference between the two.

Before using one of these features, you need to first know what Incognito and VPN modes are. The following is an in-depth explanation of the understanding and differences between the two features, according to How to Geek.

Understanding Incognito And VPN Modes

Incognito mode is a built-in feature that is usually found in the browser. The main function of this feature is to clear the browsing history, cache, and cookies after the user ends the internet browsing session.

This feature is useful for maintaining the privacy of users from other people who use the same device. Although history and cookies will be removed, Incognito mode will not make users anonymous on the internet.

User IP activities and addresses can still be seen by internet service providers (ISPs), websites visited, or even companies and schools. This mode also does not hide the overall user identity.

Meanwhile, Virtual Privacy Networks (VPNs) prioritize privacy. VPNs can create 'encrypted tunnels' for user internet traffic so they will be hidden from various reconnaissance.

VPN can hide the original IP address so users will be seen browsing from the VPN server location. Basically, VPN will provide a very high level of anonymity.

VPNs can also pass geographical boundaries. When connected to servers in other countries, users can access content previously limited to their home countries. However, this tool is not completely safe to use.

When Will Incognito And VPN Be Used?

In essence, Incognito mode is useful for hiding activities from other users on the same device, while VPN is more suitable to protect user privacy from third parties such as ISP or websites.

VPN can encrypt user web traffic and hide IP addresses, while Incognito mode does not. Users can choose Incognito mode to use temporary accounts, while VPN can protect users when using public WiFi.