Is this Google Chrome problem a new reason to switch to Firefox?

The Google Googles browser still dominates the market, with more than 2 billion users. But Chrome has been under increasing scrutiny in recent months, some even being abandon it totally in favor of privacy-oriented alternatives such as Firefox.

Today, if you are a Google Chrome user, you may have another reason to change. According to an estimated technological site The register, Google has removed an assertion that an identifier it uses internally to track features and variations of Chrome does not contain personally identifiable information.

Personally identifiable information is information that could reveal who you are, such as your full name, social security number or passport number. Due to its value to you as an individual, this information is protected by regulations such as EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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Googles X-client-data headera unique identifier?

The news that Google deleted the claim follows investigation by the Registry in February, after a software developer challenged a Google engineer in an article on GitHub Issues. The developer, Arnaud Granal, told me request header data transmitted by Chrome could be a unique identifier and, as such, would constitute a violation of EU GDPR regulation.

The X-client-data header is what Chrome sends to Google after requesting a Google web page. But Granal told the Registry that even if you use a proxy, VPN, or Tor, Google (including DoubleClick) may be able to recognize you using X-client data.

Google certainly has a reason to want to know more about its users so that it can target them with relevant ads. This is why Googles switches to Chrome, which affects the operation of ad blockers, dubbed Manifest V3, have already aroused suspicion in many users.

Google says the X-client-data header does not contain a unique fingerprint; it contains information about the variation of Chrome used. The registry said there was no reason to believe that the X-client-data header was used to track and identify people on websites. Google has better ways to do it, and I agree. However, the fact that Google has removed the claim that the header does not contain personally identifiable information has of course set off the alarm bells.

In February Google Chrome Privacy White Paper said: "This Chrome-Variations (X-client-data) header will not contain any personally identifiable information, and will only describe the state of the installation of Chrome itself, including variants active, as well as server-side experiences that can affect installation. "

The last article, published on March 5, does not contain this assertion. When asked why, Google told the Registry that the white paper is updated regularly as part of Chrome's stable release process.

Security researcher Sean Wright says it looks like the x-client-data header may contain user-related data. Its data is not apparent, but you hope that Google will be open and transparent about it. When they are not, it only feeds speculation on how this header is used.

Google sent me a statement via email, which reads: "The X-Client-Data header is used to help Chrome test new features before deploying them to all The information included in this header reflects variations or new feature testing, in which a Chrome installation is currently enrolled, which helps us measure server-side statistics for large groups of installations. They are not used to identify or track individual users. "

Is it time to switch to Firefox?

What you think about it is up to you. But Wright points out that this case highlights the importance for businesses to be open and transparent with regard to user privacy and the features they implement that can have an impact whatever. whatever the reason.

As people become more aware of their privacy, tech giants such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Google are under scrutiny. And with a number of off-putting Chrome moves emerging, many users are looking for easy-to-use Chrome alternatives.

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Personally, I use a mixture of Safari browser and Apples-specific Firefox, which I think gives me the privacy-focused experience that I need. Firefox is definitely a great alternative, and the browser manufacturer even offers a guide to help Chrome users get through.

Others are supporters of Courageous, which runs on the Chromium engine but comes with increased privacy, or even the new Microsoft Edge Navigator.

Making the change can be a daunting task, but if you care about your privacy, you will thank yourself later for spending time.