Google has rolled out Chrome 140, bringing a significant privacy upgrade to the popular browser. The standout feature allows Chrome to hide users' IP addresses, offering a new layer of protection against tracking.
This functionality is currently limited to Incognito mode and applies only to third-party content, such as when a website loads elements via iframes. In these instances, traffic is routed through a Google proxy rather than directly to the site. As a result, the website sees the proxy’s IP address instead of the user’s real one, adding a shield to online anonymity.
To balance privacy with the needs of website owners who rely on traffic analytics, Google has introduced a mechanism called Probabilistic Reveal Token (PRT). When using the proxy, an encrypted token may be added to request headers. This token can later be used to generate a randomized, truncated sample of visitor IP addresses, though it remains unlinked to any specific user.
However, the proxy and PRT features are currently restricted to iframes and similar third-party content. Direct visits to websites still expose the user’s IP address, meaning the protection is not yet comprehensive.
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This update marks a step forward in privacy for Chrome users, though its scope remains limited. The feature’s evolution could reshape how online tracking is managed in the future.
