Google Chrome will be borrowing this iCloud feature to enhance user privacy

Every device that is connected to the internet has an IP address that helps identify them. While there are legitimate purposes for IP addresses, it can also be used for nefarious purposes like tracking where a device is logging in from. If you're concerned about your privacy, then you're in luck, especially if you're a Google Chrome user.

This is because Google seems to be working on a new "IP Protection" feature for Chrome, which as its name suggests, will protect your IP by hiding it from prying eyes. This means that when you surf the web, your IP address will be masked using proxy servers so that the website you're visiting won't know your actual IP address.

This is similar to using VPN services which can hide your IP address, perfect for users who need to mask their location and to prevent cross-site tracking. If this feature sounds familiar, it is because Apple actually has something similar to iOS devices called Privacy Relay. There are also other browsers such as Brave that also offer features that help users hide their IP address while browsing the internet.

That being said, there are some potential risks to using the IP Protection feature in Chrome. According to Google, as traffic will be sent through Google's servers, it could make it harder for security and fraud protection services to block DDoS attacks or detect invalid traffic. Another risk is that should Google's proxy servers become compromised, hackers could potentially see and even manipulate traffic that passes through it.

Chrome's new IP Protection feature will roll out initially as a test for users logged into Chrome with US-based IP addresses. It will also be an opt-in feature so users will have to enable it manually.