Private Browsing

Private browsing, also synonymously referred to as incognito mode and ‘inprivate’, is a function that all mainstream web browsers offer that allow the user to browse in complete privacy. Private browsing has many functions (yes, other than viewing risqué material such as pornography) in both the personal and professional realms. Professionally, private browsing can be beneficial to professionals doing web debugging, and for those trying to manage multiple accounts concurrently. When browsers are in normal browsing mode, they pick up these little bytes of data referred to as cookies.

Cookies are information that a web server passes on to your web browser. These small bytes of data can be very helpful when doing normal browsing as they will save entry information-such as those keywords you type into a search engine, your user name/password upon request, and will keep you logged into accounts- but may cause an issue when debugging a website that has a cookie related issue, or for someone whom is trying to manage multiple accounts on the same server, so by entering private browsing mode, a professional is able to completely avoid picking up cookies altogether (Pash, 2010).

Private browsing can also be of a great benefit to you in your personal endeavors. Like I mentioned before, private browsing will essentially tell your browser to not save any information, so you’re able to operate with complete anonymity. This can benefit you when engaging in tasks such as buying a gift for a loved one, planning a surprise vacation, or simply doing something you would like to remain off the radar. Also, private browsing can actually enable you to perform what is commonly referred to as a ‘pure search’ on Google. Google search has an embedded algorithm that uses your networks and friends’ preferences when displaying the page rank after a search is performed, so by entering private browsing you essentially search with a completely clean slate (Fiol, 2012).

In conclusion, private browsing is a versatile and excellent feature that can provide numerous benefits in both personal and professional activities. Try not to let your use of private browsing be limited to only those risqué searches!

Bibliography
Fiol, T. (2012, October 23). Apartment Therapy. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from 7 Great Uses for Your Browser’s Private Browsing Mode: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/7-situations-where-you-should-use-private-browsing-mode-179175 Pash, A. (2010, August 25). Life Hacker. Retrieved Decemver 2, 2012, from Nine Great Uses for Private Browsing: http://lifehacker.com/5620502/nine-great-uses-for-private-browsing-that-dont-involve-porn