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Tracking Internet users through their IP addresses has always been a controversial privacy issue for companies. Google has also faced numerous lawsuits over tracking Android users and using GeoIP to show personal ads to them. Surprisingly, Google Chrome is reportedly testing a new feature that allows users to hide their IP address while browsing the Internet.
This feature relies on proxy servers to mask the IP address and could prevent websites from tracking users and collecting their data. Users currently need to use a proxy or VPN to hide their IP. However, the “IP Protection” feature on Google Chrome brings an in-built proxy for hiding IP.
As the company explains, “Chrome is reintroducing a proposal to protect users against cross-site tracking via IP addresses. This proposal is a privacy proxy that anonymizes IP addresses for qualifying traffic as described above.” Google intends to test the IP Protection feature between Chrome 119 and 225.
Google Chrome could soon hide IP addresses
While hiding the IP address reinforces privacy, it could disrupt some essential web functionalities, including routing traffic. Reduced Internet speed and being blocked from certain services, like banking and streaming, are other cons of hiding IP.
However, Google seeks to keep a balance between privacy and essential functionalities. Google does this by routing third-party traffic from specific domains through proxies. This prevents domains from detecting the user’s IP.
The IP Protection first comes to Google Chrome as an opt-in feature to let users control privacy. The feature also rolls out in stages. The first stage is “Phase 0,” which allows Google proxying requests only to its domains through a proprietary proxy.
It’s actually the test phase and lets Google list domains that potentially track users. Some of Google’s own services, like Gmail and AdServices, are also on the watch list. Additionally, the first stage is exclusive to US-based IPs who logged into Chrome. A Google-operated authentication server also distributes access tokens to the proxy.
The IP Protection explainer document says a 2-hop proxy system will be added in the next phase to improve privacy. The feature makes the proxy blind to the user’s IP and its destination. “A second proxy would be run by an external CDN while Google runs the first hop.” the document added.
Google might also ask users to authenticate with the proxy to reduce cybersecurity concerns around the feature. This prevents proxies from linking web requests to particular accounts.