Google will destroy the data of millions of users to resolve a lawsuit over its tracking and collection of information from people who used incognito browsing mode.
We all used this navigation tab with the confidence that searches would not be tracked; but apparently this Chrome option wasn’t very private.
In 2020, a group of people sued Google because the company apparently stored user data
The lawsuit argued that the company misled users who used this option and sought an initial damages payment of $5,000 per user.
“Plaintiffs’ efforts resulted in important confessions being obtained from Google employees. The documents describe incognito as “a convenient lie,” a “problem of professional ethics and basic honesty,” the lawyers said.
Google has been sued for spying on people in “Incognito” mode in Chrome. Photo: Pixabay
Google has agreed to drop the lawsuit
After several years, Google reached an agreement in a federal court in San Francisco (USA). The company promised to delete and correct millions of records collected in this incognito browsing mode.
“This settlement is a historic step in requiring established technology companies to be honest about the information they provide to users about how they collect and use their data,” attorney David Boies said in a court filing.
Although the agreement does not provide for compensation, users could claim damages.
This isn’t the only lawsuit the tech giant is facing. Google is also accused of monopolizing the digital advertising market and not allowing free competition.
For example, the company agreed to pay $700 million and make changes to its Android app download platform Google Play to settle another antitrust lawsuit filed by several US states.
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