Google settles $5 billion lawsuit accusing it of tracking Chrome's Incognito users

Google recently agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the technology company of tracking consumers browsing the internet using Chrome's Incognito mode.

The lawsuit, filed in 2020 in the United States District Court Northern District of California, claimed that Google misled customers about Chrome's private browsing mode, leading users to believe they could control the information they were sharing with the company. According to the complaint, the company continued to track users' data with its analytics tools, browser plug-ins, and apps. Google allegedly used the information to target ads and track website traffic, according to internal emails cited in the suit.

The consumers who lodged the complaint against the technology giant claimed that Google has become an "unaccountable trove of information" that has collected vast amounts of data on "millions" of its users since 2016, Reuters reported. Plaintiffs alleged that Chrome's Incognito mode still stores user data, including information about peers, favorite foods, shopping habits, hobbies, and "potentially embarrassing things."

At the time of the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Google stated that Chrome's Incognito mode does not store a user's activity on their device, but the website can still collect information, Engadget reported.

Google's parent company, Alphabet, has since decided to settle the $5 billion class action lawsuit after U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers declined its August request to dismiss the complaint. It seeks at least $5,000 in damages per user for alleged violations of wire-tapping and California privacy laws.

Rogers noted that it is unclear whether the company made legally binding guarantees that it would not collect user data while utilizing its private browsing feature. She also cited Google's privacy policies and statements suggesting limitations on collecting users' data. The lawsuit's trial, scheduled for February 5, 2024, was put on hold by Rogers to allow the parties to reach a settlement.

Engadget stated that Google has likely agreed to settle for less than $5 billion, but details about the settlement have not been disclosed. The parties' lawyers are expected to submit a formal agreement to the court for approval by February 24, 2024.

Just last week, Google agreed to pay $700 million to U.S. consumers as part of a complaint regarding the Google Play app store, Blaze News previously reported. The lawsuit claimed the company overcharged customers by thwarting app store competition for Android devices.

Google denied any wrongdoing. The company did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!