

“Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode,” said the ruling. Confused? Same here.New York Court: Fox News ‘Turned a Blind Eye’ to Guests’ Election DisinformationĪccording to the complaint: “ Google knows who your friends are, what your hobbies are, what you like to eat, what movies you watch, where and when you like to shop, what your favorite vacation destinations are, what your favorite color is, and even the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things you browse on the internet - regardless of whether you follow Google’s advice to keep your activities ‘private’.” The class action lawsuit about Chrome incognito mode tracking is seeking $5 billion in damages.Ī recent Bloomberg report showed that despite efforts by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to throw out the case, a US judge denied the motion and is requiring the company to face the lawsuit. On one end, Google Chrome says that your browsing history is private but on the other end, your online activities may still be visible or tracked. However, Incognito also states that “your activity might still be visible to the websites you visit, your employer or school, and your Internet service provider.” Overall, there seems to be a lot of grey area in Google Chrome Incognito privacy policy. When a user uses Google Chrome Incognito, Incognito states that “now you can browser privately, and other people who use this device won’t see your activity.” How clear does Google make it that users’ data can still be collected in Incognito mode? Let’s take a look. Google also notes that the plaintiffs agreed to Chrome’s privacy policy which discloses its data collection practices. As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session.” Incognito mode in Chrome gives you the choice to browse the internet without your activity being saved to your browser or device. “We strongly dispute these claims and we will defend ourselves vigorously against them. Google disputes the claims via a statement provided by company spokesperson Jose Castaneda: The consumers who filed the suit say they were under the impression Incognito mode offered all encompassing privacy from data trackers. The consumers who filed the case are taking issue with Google collecting data using other services while in Incognito mode.įor example, when a user visits a website in Incognito mode, Google Analytics still collects the user’s data.

“The court concludes that Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode.”

US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, states: In the judge’s ruling, it states Google doesn’t adequately inform users that their data can be collected in Incognito mode. A federal judge ruled the lawsuit must go forward. Google has been attempting to get the lawsuit dismissed since it was filed in June 2020. The lawsuit alleges Google is in violation of wiretapping and privacy laws for intercepting, tracking, and collecting communications when Chrome’s Incognito mode is in use. Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode is now facing a $5 billion class-action lawsuit which alleges Google Chrome tracking users during private browsing sessions.
