Home » US business news » Settlement reached by Google over lawsuit alleging tracking in Chrome’s ‘Incognito’ mode

Settlement reached by Google over lawsuit alleging tracking in Chrome’s ‘Incognito’ mode

By Nithya Bose in US business news, posted December 29, 2023

Google has settled a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of tracking user data in Chrome's "Incognito" mode, despite its privacy assurances.

Users claimed that the search giant captured and monitored their data, violating the intended privacy protection of the browser setting.

The case, initially set for a 2024 trial in California, is now on hold pending finalization of the settlement details, as disclosed in a recent court filing.

The specific terms of the settlement remain undisclosed.

However, the initial complaint sought compensation ranging from $100 to $1,000 per plaintiff, with the potential for millions of claimants.

Had it lost the case, the potential financial impact on Google could have amounted to billions of dollars.

A company spokesperson did not comment on the settlement.

The lawsuit, filed in 2020, cited internal emails among Google executives allegedly stating that the company tracked user activity in "Incognito" mode to gauge web traffic and facilitate ad sales.

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Users who choose "Incognito" mode in the Chrome browser generally expect their searches and views to remain untraceable.

Notably, Google recently implemented enhanced safeguards for user location data.

Tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Google owner Alphabet also face legal challenges from federal regulators over alleged breaches of various privacy laws.

Lawyers representing the plaintiffs have not responded to requests for comments on the settlement.

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