Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has opted to settle a substantial lawsuit amid allegations of the tech giant spying on private user data during ‘Incognito’ mode browsing, as reported by Reuters.
A class action lawsuit had been filed against Google, accusing it of secretly tracking the internet use of individuals who believed their browsing was private. Although the exact terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in a California court put the lawsuit on hold after Google declared a resolution.
While Google has not disclosed the settlement’s specifics, the class action sought a payment of at least $5 billion, equivalent to over ₹41,000 crore. Google’s legal representatives stated that they have agreed to a binding term sheet through mediation and anticipate presenting a formal settlement for court approval by February 24, 2024.
The lawsuit alleged that Google tracked user data of individuals employing Incognito mode without their awareness, utilizing tools such as Google Analytics, cookies, and apps.
Incognito mode, promoted by Google as “private” browsing, assures that browsing history cannot be tracked by cookies.
The person leading the class action asserted that Google accessed private data through Incognito mode to tailor content based on preferences. Google attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, but the judge rejected the dismissal.
The lawsuit contended that Google’s actions transformed the company into an “unaccountable trove of information,” enabling it to learn about users’ friends, hobbies, favourite foods, shopping habits, and potentially sensitive online searches.
After reviewing arguments, Judge Rogers remarked that it remained uncertain whether Google had made a legally binding commitment not to collect user data during private browsing. The judge referred to Google’s privacy policy and statements suggesting limitations on the information it might collect