Chrome 83: Google starts rollout of redesigned privacy and security settings

[Karlston]

Chrome 83: Google starts rollout of redesigned privacy and security settings

Google released Chrome 83 Stable for all supported operating systems this week. The new browser is being rolled out currently to all devices configured to update the browser automatically.

 

Chrome 83 is a big update for Chrome; it introduces support for DNS over HTTPS, which we looked at yesterday, and comes with redesigned privacy and security settings. As is the case with many feature introductions or changes in Chrome, both are being rolled out gradually to the entire Chrome population. It is possible that the changes have not landed yet on your devices even if you run Chrome 83.

 

Chrome Stable users who want to test the new privacy settings right now may set the flag chrome://flags/#privacy-settings-redesign to enabled to do so.

Chrome 83: redesigned privacy settings

 

Select Chrome Menu > Settings > Privacy and Security, or load chrome://settings/privacy in the browser's address bar and scroll down to the section to access the redesigned section in the Chrome settings.

 

First thing you may notice is that Google added more options to the root of the section. Older versions of Chrome displayed options to clear the browsing data and open site settings, the new settings add Security and Cookies and other site data options to the root level.

 

The "more" option displayed in older versions of Chrome is no longer present and the settings that were listed under it have been moved to the new root level entry points.

 

Tip: use the search to find specific settings if you have trouble locating them.

 

Clear Browsing Data has not changed at all; all remaining root level privacy settings have been modified.

Cookies and other site data

 

Cookies and other site data is now accessible directly from the main settings menu. Cookie options were listed under Site Data in previous versions of Chrome.

 

The following options are provided:

• Allow All cookies (default)
• Block third-party cookies in Incognito
• Block third-party cookies
• Block all cookies.
• Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome
• Send a "Do Not Track" request with your browsing traffic.
• Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.
• See all cookies and site data.
• Sites that can always use cookies.
• Always clear cookies when windows are closed.
• Sites that can never use cookies.

Some users may find it confusing that Google added the "preload"  and "Do Not Track" options to the cookies dialog. The companies reasoning for adding preload may be that prefeteched data may include cookies.

Security

 

The new Security section of Chrome's privacy and security options contains most of the options that were found under "more" in previous versions of the browser.

 

It lists:

• Safe Browsing levels:
  • Enhanced Protection -- "Faster, proactive protection against dangerous websites, downloads, and extensions. Warns you about password breaches. Requires browsing data to be sent to Google."
  • Standard Protection -- "Standard protection against websites, downloads, and extensions that are known to be dangerous."
  • No Protection -- "Does not protect you against dangerous websites, downloads, and extensions. You’ll still get Safe Browsing protection, where available, in other Google services, like Gmail and Search."
• Manage certificates
• Google Advanced Protection Program

Options are displayed when you select Standard protection. You may toggle password breach warnings, sending of Telemetry data to Google when you select Standard protection.

Site Settings

 

The main change here is that Google separated the settings into groups. The first group lists permission, the second content.

 

Both groups display just a few options and you need to click on the "additional" link on the page to expand the listing.

Closing Words

Google's redesign of the privacy and security settings of the company's Chrome browser improves the accessibility of cookies and other site data settings for the most part. Downsides to the redesign are that users may find it difficult at first to locate settings that were moved by Google, and that settings open on a new page instead of the same page for the most part.

 

 

Source: Chrome 83: Google starts rollout of redesigned privacy and security settings (gHacks - Martin Brinkmann)