Google agreed to erase billions of data records to resolve a lawsuit claiming it secretly tracked the internet use of customers who thought they were browsing discreetly in its Chrome browser’s incognito mode.
People claimed that Google improperly tracked users who switched Chrome and other browsers to “private” and “incognito” modes, according to Google’s analytics, cookies, and apps.
Lawsuit against Google
Google was sued for allegedly deceiving Chrome users about the true privacy of Incognito browsing. It stated that despite tracking its clients’ activities, the corporation informed them that their information was confidential. In order to explain its actions, Google said that it informed Chrome users that their activities might still be seen by websites and that using Incognito mode “does not mean ‘invisible.'” December saw the initial report on the settlement.
At the outset of the lawsuit, each user was sought $5,000 in damages for alleged violations of California privacy laws and federal wiretapping. Google attempted to get the lawsuit dismissed, but was unsuccessful. In 2021, Judge Lucy Koh found that the firm “did not notify” users that it was still collecting data while the Incognito mode was in use.
The trial for the lawsuit was originally set for February. Before the settlement becomes official, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California must give her final approval.
As part of the deal, Google agreed to amend its disclosures about the gathering of private browsing data, even though it did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Additionally, the business will cover the costs of the plaintiffs’ attorneys; nevertheless, unless individual Chrome users file separate lawsuits, they will not automatically obtain monetary damages.A Google representative expressed the company’s satisfaction with the settlement while arguing that its data methods were lawful. Since at least 50 private user lawsuits have already been filed in California, the case is expected to be litigated further.