Google settles lawsuit over ‘incognito mode’ privacy breach

This lawsuit, initiated in 2020, alleged that Google continued to gather detailed information about users’ website visits and online behaviour through its advertising technologies, even when users chose supposedly private browsing modes

Google has consented to settle a $5 billion class-action lawsuit, which accused it of tracking user activity despite the use of ‘incognito’ mode in its Chrome browser, reports Reuters.

The plaintiffs claimed that Google’s actions resulted in an extensive, unregulated collection of personal data from individuals who believed they were protecting their privacy.

The settlement, announced on Thursday, is pending approval from a federal judge.

According to Reuters, United States district judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, put a scheduled 5 February 2024 trial in the proposed class action on hold after lawyers from both the sides said that they had reached an preliminary settlement.

Specific terms of the settlement remain unrevealed, although the initial lawsuit demanded $5 billion on behalf of the affected users.

The plaintiff’s attorneys expect presenting a finalised settlement agreement to the court.

Incognito mode, often featured in web browsers, is a privacy-focused feature designed to offer users a more secure online experience.

When activated, this mode prevents the browser from saving information about the user’s browsing session.

This includes browsing history, cookies and site data, which are typically stored and can be accessed in future sessions.

While incognito mode is effective in keeping user activity private from other users on the same device, it does not offer complete anonymity or prevent external entities like websites or internet service providers, from tracking the user’s online behaviour.

The effectiveness of incognito mode in protecting privacy has been subject to scrutiny, as it basically affects local data storage and does not protect users from wider online tracking mechanisms.

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