Chrome again exempts Google sites from data deletion setting
Original: Chrome again exempts Google from user site data settings
Why This Matters
Repeated exemption of Google's own domains from user privacy settings raises ongoing browser trust and regulatory scrutiny concerns.
Developer Jeff Johnson reported on September 5, 2026 that Chrome 152.0.7977.83 on macOS again exempts google.com from the 'delete site data on window close' setting, preserving Cookies, Local Storage, and Session Storage despite user configuration.
Independent developer Jeff Johnson published a blog post on September 5, 2026 documenting a recurring Chrome bug in which google.com site data persists after closing all browser windows, even when Chrome is configured to automatically delete all site data on close. Johnson reproduced the issue on two separate Macs running Chrome version 152.0.7977.83. He confirmed he was not signed into Chrome, had disabled Chrome sign-in, set DuckDuckGo as the default search engine to rule out related causes, and verified that chrome://settings/content/all showed no stored site data before the test. After performing a Google search and closing the sole open window, google.com data — specifically Cookies, Local Storage, and Session Storage — remained and survived a full Chrome quit and relaunch. Johnson notes this appears identical in nature to a bug he reported six years ago, which Google eventually fixed after coverage in The Register, The Verge, and Gizmodo. He states he is inclined toward Hanlon's razor rather than deliberate misconduct, but argues Google has no excuse for the lapse given its resources, and calls for improved QA practices such as unit tests for the feature.