Google Set to Resolve Lawsuit Over Incognito Mode in Chrome
Google is ready to resolve a collective law submitted by users back in 2020 regarding the Incognito mode in the Chrome browser and its questionable practices. The plaintiffs accused Google of continuing to “track, collect and analyze data on the viewing of web pages in real time” despite claims to the contrary.
The lawsuit was filed by William Baeatt from Florida, and California residents, Hour Brown and Maria Nguyen, who claim that Google’s actions violate privacy laws. The plaintiffs allege that websites using Google Analytics or AD Manager processed information from browsers in incognito mode, including web page content, device data, and IP addresses. The lawsuit also states that Google links user activity with their real profiles.
Initially, Google attempted to dismiss the claim by pointing to a warning message displayed when incognito mode is enabled in Chrome. The system supposedly notifies users that their activity “can be visible to the websites that they visit”.
In August, Judge Yvonn Gonzalez Rogers rejected Google’s attempt to obtain a court decision without considering the case, highlighting that Google failed to inform users that data collection continues even on such a large scale.
“Google claims that the plaintiffs themselves agreed to have their data collected while using the private browsing mode,” stated Judge Rogers. “However, as the company did not directly inform users about this, the court cannot determine that unequivocal consent was given.”
According to the notification submitted on December 26, Google and the plaintiffs have reached a compromise that will lead to the termination of the trial. The agreement will be presented to the court by the end of January, and a final decision is expected by the end of February.