what you need to know
- Google has agreed to delete billions of browsing data to settle an incognito class action lawsuit.
- The tech giant also agreed to update its disclaimer on private browsing practices.
- Google said it would not pay any damages.
This week, Google agreed to clear a large amount of browsing data to resolve the infamous Incognito Mode lawsuit, which first came to light in 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The lawsuit alleges that Google Chrome tracks users’ browsing data even when in “incognito” mode, which allows users to browse without saving their browsing history. It also claims the tech giant was not forthcoming about its data policies and misled customers.
In early January, Google admitted that Chrome tracked users in Incognito mode even if they didn’t save their browsing data. Although it clearly states that each time you open a new incognito tab, the website may be able to collect information about your browsing activity during the session.
Details of the settlement were filed in San Francisco federal court, according to the publication, which said the company will now work to change its policies regarding private browsing.
Additionally, Google agreed to destroy billions of data points that the lawsuit alleges were improperly collected, update disclosures on its website to describe the corrected privacy browsing policy, and give Chrome users the ability to turn off third-party cookies.
“At a high level, we’re making several important changes to our disclosures to clarify how your data is collected and how visible your activity is when you visit a site using Incognito mode,” a Google spokesperson said.
The lawsuit accuses Google of violating federal wiretapping laws through this discrepancy. The plaintiffs are asking for at least $5 billion in damages, although Google confirmed to Android Central that it won’t pay those damages. Still, Boyce noted that the settlement represents a “historic step toward demanding honesty and accountability from dominant technology companies.” Boyce said.
The Wall Street Journal noted that the agreement still requires final approval from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California.
Android Central reached out to Google about the settlement, and a spokesperson said they were pleased to have settled the lawsuit, which they had long believed was baseless.
“We never associate data with users when they use incognito mode. We happily delete old technical data that has never been associated with an individual and has never been used for any form of personalization,” Castañeda added.