IP Protection uses a list-based approach to determine which network traffic should be proxied. When a user visits a website in Incognito mode, and that website has content embedded from another website (a third party), IP Protection may mask the user’s IP address. This means the third-party website won’t see the real IP address, making it harder to track the user. When that same site is accessed directly (in a first-party context), the user’s real IP address is visible. Websites/domains not on the list remain unaffected. This applies equally to Google-owned and non-Google-owned domains.
IP Protection is enabled by default in Incognito mode, but users have the option to disable it.
Refer to the IP Protection proposal in the developer documentation for a more technical understanding of its functionality.
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| When all of the following conditions are met, the domain will receive a masked IP address, enhancing user privacy by obscuring their actual IP: | |
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Domain is on the Masked Domain List (MDL) |
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Domain is embedded as a third party |
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User is browsing in Incognito Mode |
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Domain receives masked IP |
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