Google Chrome’s sync feature is actually a privacy nightmare

Google Chrome’s sync feature allows users to save information when they log in across multiple devices. However, this feature may come with a cost in terms of your privacy. Despite being the most popular web browser, Chrome presents many privacy concerns – and you should avoid using it on your Android phone and other devices if possible. Concerns surrounding Google’s data sharing practices and other privacy violations have surfaced, but there’s an even bigger problem with Chrome’s sync function.

If one of your devices linked to your Google Account is compromised, that data breach likely extends to all the other devices you’ve synced together. For example: If your synced phone is properly secured, if someone gains access to your synced laptop, data shared by your phone via sync may still be at risk. While Chrome’s sync can happen automatically, the good news is that it can be turned off manually. Even better, there are alternatives besides Chrome that offer stronger privacy protections.

Read more: Don’t do any of these 14 things to your Android phone

Privacy concerns around Google Chrome’s sync functions

Google Chrome’s sync function is certainly convenient, but personal data shared across your devices through it invites security risks. Sync keeps your bookmarks, your search history, and your open tabs available across synced devices. Your Google searches aren’t really private, even in incognito mode, and Google has come under legal fire in the past over these concerns.

Chrome Sync also stores your passwords, your payment information (such as credit card details), saved addresses and phone numbers. This is private information that you probably don’t want to distribute, and don’t want anyone else to have access to. The risk of someone hacking into one of your devices and thus obtaining information from all of your devices presents a huge security risk. There is also the fact that Google shares your data with third parties. So, conducting searches on one device will result in targeted ads on another device.

What to do about these privacy concerns

One step you can take to protect your privacy within Google Chrome is to turn off the sync functionality. In Chrome, click your profile at the top right of the screen. You will see an option that says Sync is On. Select Off to disable it. Going forward, Chrome won’t sync future information – however, you may want to remove what’s already been synced in the past. To do so, open Chrome on your computer. Then go to https://chrome.google.com/sync. You will want to scroll down and select the wipe data option.

You can also choose not to use Chrome in the future. Apple itself has told iPhone users to stop using Chrome and choose a safer internet browser instead. Do some research on alternative internet browsers that specifically say they don’t share your data with third parties, and look for details on their security features. For example, DuckDuckGo offers a free Internet browser and a free Internet search engine option, both focused on safe browsing. You’ll want to look for a browser that specifies that it blocks third party trackers and email trackers, that doesn’t track or collect data from your searches, and has strong security around passwords and other sensitive information.

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