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What you need to know
- Google agrees to delete billions of browsing data to settle Secrets class action lawsuit.
- The tech giant also agreed to update its disclaimer regarding private browsing practices.
- Google said it has no intention of paying any money in damages.
Google agreed this week to erase large amounts of browsing data to settle the infamous Incognito mode lawsuit that first came to light in 2020, according to the Wall Street Journal.
According to the complaint, Google Chrome also tracked users’ browsing data in “incognito” mode, which allows users to browse without saving their browsing history. It also claims the tech giant was not transparent about its data policies and misled customers.
In early January, Google admitted that Chrome tracks users while in Incognito mode, even though it doesn’t save browsing data. Although it is clearly visible each time you open a new incognito tab, the website may be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session.
Details of the settlement were filed in San Francisco federal court, the publication said, and the company said it would work on changes to its private browsing policies going forward.
Additionally, Google has destroyed billions of data points that the lawsuit alleges was improperly collected, updated its disclosures on its website with revised policies regarding private browsing, and banned Chrome users from using third-party cookies. They also agreed to provide the ability to turn it off.
A Google spokesperson said: “At a high level, we want to make it clear how your data is collected and how your activity is visible when you visit a website using Incognito mode.” “We have made several important changes to our disclosures to ensure that we are doing so.”
The lawsuit alleges that Google violated federal wiretapping laws through this discrepancy. The plaintiffs asked for at least $5 billion in damages, but Google confirmed to Android Central that it would not pay those damages. Nevertheless, Boies notes that the settlement is a “historic step in demanding honesty and accountability from dominant technology companies.” Boys said.
The deal still requires final approval from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California, the Journal said.
Android Central reached out to Google about the settlement, and a spokesperson said they always believed the lawsuit had no merit, so they were happy to settle the case.
“If you use Incognito mode, we do not associate your data with you. We are happy to delete any outdated technical data that is not associated with you or used for any form of personalization.” added Castañeda.
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