Extended Security Telemetry
Google Chrome features a robust “Safe Browsing” system that warns you before you visit dangerous websites or download malicious files. By default, Chrome uses a standard level of protection that checks URLs against a locally stored, periodically updated list of bad sites. However, Chrome also includes a setting called “Help improve security on the web for everyone” (formerly part of “Enhanced Safe Browsing”).
When this specific setting is enabled, Chrome sends additional telemetry data back to Google. This includes URLs of pages you visit, limited system information, and samples of page content if Chrome suspects a threat. While this crowdsourced data helps Google identify new phishing campaigns faster, privacy-conscious users may not want their browser transmitting URLs and page snippets to Google’s servers. If you want standard protection without the extended telemetry, you can disable this specific option.
How to Disable Security Telemetry
You can turn off this data sharing in Chrome’s Security settings.
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Privacy and security.
- In the main pane, click on Security.
- Under the “Safe Browsing” section, ensure you are set to Standard protection.
- Look beneath the “Standard protection” option for a toggle switch labelled Help improve security on the web for everyone.
- Toggle the switch to the Off position.
Chrome will continue to protect you from known malicious sites using its local database, but it will stop sending extended browsing telemetry and page samples back to Google for analysis.