According to a report from the WSJ, Google has agreed to eliminate a large amount of data related to the web-browsing activities of millions of users. This decision comes as part of a settlement for a class action lawsuit filed in 2020. The settlement details were disclosed in a San Francisco federal court today, stating that Google will be deleting “billions of data points” collected improperly while users were browsing in Incognito mode on Chrome.
The lawsuit focused on Google allegedly misleading Chrome users about how their activity was tracked in Incognito mode. It was claimed that users were not properly informed about the type of data being collected, including information about the websites visited in Incognito mode.
In addition to deleting the data, Google has committed to updating its disclosures regarding data collection in Incognito mode. Users will also have the option to disable third-party cookies in this mode. Google is currently working on implementing these changes and will make blocking third-party cookies the default in Incognito mode for at least the next five years.
This settlement, which avoids a trial, does not include compensation for individual users, but allows them to file claims. Plaintiff attorneys have already filed 50 claims in California state court, with more expected in the coming months.
A Google spokesperson, José Castañeda, stated that the data in question was not linked to any individual or used for personalizing services. He referred to the data as “old technical data” and deemed the lawsuit as “meritless”. However, internal exchanges revealed during the lawsuit showed concerns raised by Google executives. Chief Marketing Officer Lorraine Twohill cautioned CEO Sundar Pichai in 2019 about using the term “private” for Incognito mode, as it could create misunderstandings. She mentioned limitations in marketing Incognito due to its lack of true privacy.
A preliminary settlement was reached in December, pending final approval from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California.
