What a private window actually does
A private or incognito window mainly prevents your browser from saving local history, cookies and form entries once you close it. That is useful if you share a device and do not want your browsing appearing in suggestions.
What it does not do is make you invisible. The websites you visit can still see your connection, and your internet provider, your workplace network or a school network may still log activity. Downloads and bookmarks you create usually remain on the device.
So treat a private window as tidiness, not secrecy. It is a good habit, as long as you remember its limits. Our post on sharing a household computer goes into the practical side.
Extensions: fewer is safer
Browser extensions can read, and sometimes change, the pages you view. A malicious or badly maintained one could see far more than you would like, including pages where you enter passwords.
A sensible routine keeps the list short. Look through your installed extensions and remove anything you do not recognise or no longer use. Install only from the browser's official store, check the developer and read recent reviews with a sceptical eye.
- Be wary of extensions that promise free access, faster downloads or unlocked content.
- Check what permissions each one asks for, and question anything broader than its purpose.
- Disable extensions in private windows unless you truly need them there.
If a site tells you to install an extension or a "player" before you can continue, stop. That is a common way to deliver unwanted software.
Saved passwords and autofill
Saving a password in a shared browser profile means anyone who opens it may be able to log in. On a household computer, that is a real risk, particularly for accounts you would rather keep to yourself.
A dedicated password manager is usually a better home. It lets you use long, unique passwords, locks behind one strong master passphrase, and keeps entries separate from the browser. Combine this with two-step verification wherever it is offered.
Avoid reusing passwords between sites. If one service is breached, a reused password opens the rest. You can check whether your address has appeared in known breaches at Have I Been Pwned. Never share a password with anyone who contacts you, and do not type it into a page you reached through a message link.
Habits for the genuine site and its entry page
According to the platform's entry page, MyDirtyHobby is an adult social network that warns of age-restricted material and asks you to certify your age and agree to its Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Before you tick or click, check the address is the one you meant to visit. Our guide to lookalike domains gives the five-second check.
The sign-up page says registration can be by email, Google or X, and includes an optional tick box for promotional updates. Think about which route you are comfortable with. Signing in with another account links the two, while a separate email address keeps things apart. Leave the promotional box unticked if you would rather not receive marketing.
Whichever you choose, tell no one your password and keep your sign-in details out of notes on a shared device.
A tidy-up routine you can repeat
Once a month, spend ten minutes on a quick review. It sounds dull, which is rather the point.
- Clear cookies and site data you no longer need.
- Review extensions and remove the unused.
- Check saved logins and delete any you do not want kept in the browser.
- Update the browser and operating system.
- Look at your installed apps and bookmarks for anything out of place.
You can also test a suspicious address with Google Safe Browsing. If you share a home, parental or household controls may apply, so see our overview for parents and homes. Good hygiene is not about hiding; it is about keeping your own information in your own hands.
Phones, tablets and shared screens
Everything above applies to mobile browsers too, although the menus differ. Check whether your phone backs up browsing data to a shared account, since that can reveal visited sites on other devices signed into the same account.
Turn off notification previews on the lock screen for anything sensitive, and consider a separate browser profile for private use. If you cast or mirror your screen to a television, close tabs first and disable autofill suggestions that might pop up.
Finally, lock your devices with a strong code and keep software updated. Updates close the security gaps that malicious pages try to exploit, and they cost you nothing but a few minutes.
If you use a work laptop or a school or library computer, do not browse adult sites on it at all. Such devices are often monitored, and anything you do there may be visible to the organisation that owns them. Keep adult browsing to a personal device that you control, with your own login and your own settings.
Frequently asked questions
Platform features are described as the platform presents them; we cannot verify them independently and details can change. Independent guide; adults 18+ only.