Google agrees to discard browsing data collected in Chrome's 'Incognito' mode, a victory worth $1 trillion for plaintiffs
In a lawsuit over Google Chrome's incognito mode, which was supposed to not collect private information, but actually collected search and browsing history, Google deleted billions of browsing data that it had collected so far. It was reported that a settlement was reached with the plaintiff by anonymizing the case.
Google agrees to delete Incognito data despite prior claim that's “impossible” | Ars Technica
Google agrees to destroy browsing data collected in Incognito mode - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/1/24117929/google-incognito-browsing-data-delete-class-action-settlement
Google to delete search data of millions who used 'incognito' mode : NPR
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/01/1242019127/google-incognito-mode-settlement-search-history
The case that was settled this time was filed in 2020, when five plaintiffs, including Chasom Brown, sought damages from Google of $5 billion (approximately 750 billion yen), alleging that the browser's incognito mode was collecting personal information. It all started with a class action lawsuit . This case, which involved a feature that even Google employees did not trust as ``not secret at all,'' developed in the plaintiff's favor, with the court rejecting Google's counterargument, and finally in December 2023. Google and the plaintiff have reached a tentative settlement.
Google finally agrees to settle the case that ``Chrome's incognito browsing collects personal information'' - GIGAZINE
The terms of the settlement were unknown until now, but a document filed in court on April 1, 2024 (PDF file) reveals that Google will ``destroy the private browsing history of millions of users who used incognito mode.'' I understand that we have agreed to do this.
Google has also agreed to continue changes to Incognito mode that will allow Incognito users to block third-party cookies by default.
Prior to the settlement, Google updated its Incognito mode screen to notify users that their browsing data is being collected even in Incognito mode, and added the ability to block third-party cookies by default.
David Boies, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said, ``With this settlement, Google will no longer be able to secretly collect private data that Google itself estimates is worth billions of dollars (hundreds of billions of yen).'' , we will be forced to delete and remediate data we have improperly collected on an unprecedented scale and scope.'
According to Boies and others, the value of users' private data that will be rescued through this settlement is conservatively estimated at between $4.75 billion (approximately 720 billion yen) and $7.8 billion (approximately 1.18 trillion yen). It is said that it is estimated to be ¥.
In the lawsuit, Google argued that ``Due to the way data is stored, it is impossible to identify private browsing data, and it is impossible to delete the data.'' We will 100% fix the offending dataset.'
Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda commented, ``We are pleased to have settled this lawsuit, which we have long believed to be pointless.'' The plaintiffs also initially sought $5 billion in damages, but as part of the settlement, 'the amount plaintiffs received was reduced to zero.'
As Google pointed out, the plaintiffs did not receive monetary damages in this settlement, but the proposed settlement included a reservation of 'the right of individuals to sue Google for damages in subsequent court proceedings.' I am. According to the IT news site The Verge, 50 claims for damages have already been filed in court.
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