If you have been accused of a white-collar crime, such as embezzlement or financial fraud, there is a chance that the authorities will want to look at your internet history. They may want to see if you researched the alleged crime or communicated with other people online about it. They will want to see what sites you visited.
In some cases, people believe that there won’t even be an internet history because they were using incognito mode or private browsing mode in their internet browser. But this is not necessarily as private as you may assume—despite the name.
How private browsing actually works
The thing to remember about private browsing or incognito mode is that it does not keep local records on your device. You will be logged out of your accounts, and your browser will not store a local history of the sites you visited. If someone looked at the search history in the browser, there would be nothing to see.
But that does not mean no one can see your activity. All of that information still exists—it’s just not stored on your local device. It may still be available if the authorities contact your internet service provider (ISP), which can keep records of the sites you visit and the activity you engage in online. If you were using an office computer, your employer can also see what activity happened on their network.
This means that some types of digital evidence may still exist, and it is important to be aware of this when considering your defense options and the legal steps you need to take moving forward.