Google Delete Incognito Mode Browsing Data
Google Agrees Delete Incognito Mode
Google has decided to wipe out the private browsing history of its “hundreds of billions” of Chrome browser users. This decision came as part of settling a class-action lawsuit that accused Google of tracking users without their knowledge.
The agreement terms were submitted on Monday in a federal court in Oakland, California. However, final approval from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California is still pending.
Google Chrome Agrees To Delete Incognito Mode, Browsing Data
The lawsuit sought $5 billion in damages from Google, but the settlement doesn’t involve any compensation for consumers. Yet, individuals retain the option to file their grievances against Google in U.S. state courts. Already, the plaintiffs’ attorney has filed around 50 complaints in California state court, with more expected in the coming months.
“This settlement marks a significant milestone in holding big tech companies accountable for their transparency regarding user data collection and usage. It also emphasizes the importance of deleting and rectifying collected data,” said the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
The class-action lawsuit was initiated in June 2020 when several Google users accused the company of clandestinely gathering data despite users activating “Incognito” mode in Chrome or using other browsers in private mode. Users were also not adequately informed about the data collected for web traffic analysis and advertising purposes.
“Even when users think they’re browsing privately, Google continues to track them. This tracking persists regardless of how personal or sensitive users’ online activities may be,” stated the plaintiffs.
As per the settlement terms, Google will enhance its disclosures regarding data collection in private browsing mode. The company claims to be already working on these updates. Additionally, it will allow incognito users to automatically block third-party tracking “cookies” for the next five years.
“This means Google will gather less data from users’ private browsing sessions, resulting in reduced revenue from data,” added the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
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Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda expressed the company’s satisfaction with settling the lawsuit, terming it “baseless.”
“We are content to resolve this lawsuit, which we always believed lacked merit. We never link data with users when they’re in incognito mode. We’re glad to erase old technical data that was never linked to any individual or used for personalization,” Castaneda stated.
Although the preliminary settlement was reached in late December, avoiding the scheduled trial on February 5, 2024, the final approval is anticipated from U.S. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California on July 30.
