Google has announced it will delete millions of records of users’ browsing activities following a settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging the tech giant tracked individuals without their consent. The case, filed in 2020, accused Google, an Alphabet unit, of clandestinely gathering data from users utilizing the "incognito" browsing mode on its Chrome web browser. Despite this mode supposedly turning off data collection, the suit argued that Google's other tools, particularly advertising technology, continued to harvest users' data.
According to details disclosed in a filing at San Francisco federal court on Monday, Google has agreed to purge "billions" of data records associated with individuals' private browsing habits. Additionally, the company has implemented changes to its disclosures to elucidate how data is collected and what activity remains visible to websites during "incognito" browsing sessions. Moreover, Google will enable users to block third-party cookies while in incognito mode for the next five years.
Jose Castaneda, a spokesperson for Google, stated, "We are pleased to settle this lawsuit, which we always believed was meritless. We never associate data with users when they use incognito mode. We are happy to delete old technical data that was never associated with an individual and was never used for any form of personalization."
Despite plaintiffs seeking $5 billion in damages, the settlement does not include any monetary compensation from Google. Instead, individuals retain the option to pursue damages by filing their own complaints against Google in US state courts, with approximately 50 individuals having already done so, according to plaintiffs’ lawyers.
The settlement, hailed as "groundbreaking" and a "historic step" by plaintiffs’ attorneys, is seen as a pivotal moment in compelling major tech companies to be transparent about their data collection and usage practices. Notably, Google’s commitment to retroactively erase user information is a significant concession, given its reliance on such data for its advertising business.
Stephanie Liu, a senior analyst at Forrester, remarked, "The rise of privacy-oriented class action lawsuits and complaints shows consumers are increasingly privacy savvy and taking action."
Representatives for the consumers in the lawsuit, including attorneys from Boies Schiller Flexner and Morgan & Morgan, emphasized that the settlement provides "substantial relief" for plaintiffs. Moreover, the agreement averted a trial scheduled for February, which would have added to Google’s legal challenges in a year marked by several high-profile cases.
Upcoming legal battles for Google include a jury trial in September over antitrust allegations brought by the US Justice Department and a coalition of state attorneys general. Another lawsuit from Texas and other states challenging Google’s ad tech practices is scheduled for March 2025. Additionally, a landmark federal antitrust trial accusing Google of monopolizing the online search market is set for closing arguments in May.
Google's resolution of the incognito browsing lawsuit not only addresses immediate legal concerns but also underscores the intensifying scrutiny facing tech giants regarding their data handling practices, signaling a potential shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the industry.
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